Army Pfc. Levi Meyer, one of 49 Army medics and health care providers with the division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team who worked to earn the mark of the expert field medic March 7-11, said the pathways and options open to soldiers are many, but he was choosing to take advantage of the military’s nationally recognized Interservice Physician Assistant Program, with the ultimate goal of possibly becoming a neurologist.“I am applying to IPAP right now,â€Â said the 20-year-old Billings, Mont., native while preparing to navigate the first of three scenario-based testing lanes for the expert field medical badge. As a medic attached to a company of combat engineers, Meyer recently spent a tour in Iraq, traveling the roads between Ramadi and Fallujah hunting for roadside bombs. Army Capt. Jessica Larson, a physician assistant attached to Meyer’s brigade, said the Army’s PA program is an excellent choice. It rates consistently as one of the country’s top physician assistant programs, she said, and the financial support afforded in exchange for service takes a great burden off students. “I went to a state school, so my expenses were a third of a normal PA program,â€Â said Larson, a native of Chicago who left a lucrative career in aviation engineering when she was moved by amputees and other service members recovering from wounds received in Iraq and Afghanistan. “My schooling, housing, books, food and other living expenses cost $106,000 for two and a half years,â€Â she continued, “which included my rotation to Africa. However, without my scholarship, it would have cost around $134,000. PAs who attend private schools are typically coming out with over $200,000 in debt.â€Â

 

[caption id="attachment_4050" align="alignleft" width="300"] Army Pfc. Levi Meyer tests to earn an expert field medical badge in the forests of Fort Bragg, N.C., March 7, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod[/caption] Through the Army’s Health Profession Loan Repayment Program, civilian-trained PAs can have their student loans repaid up to $120,000 in exchange for a three-year additional duty service obligation, which is the route that Larson took. The downside, she said, is that students remain civilians during schooling, so they are not drawing Army pay. “Meyer is saving a lot if he goes to [the Interservice Physician Assistant Program],â€Â Larson said. “To come from that excellent background with no expenses, while drawing either lieutenant or Officer Candidate School pay for those two years, is a huge stress off the education process. “However,â€Â she added, “he is giving back with four years of service as an Army PA, and graduates deploy immediately. Being gone from your family for a year is a nonquantifiable cost, too.â€Â Becoming a physician assistant typically is not a stepping stone to becoming a medical doctor, Larson said, as much of the schooling is redundant. Soldiers considering one or the other should study both career fields and ask lots of questions, she added, because the Army uses physicians and physician assistants in very different ways. For Meyer, who first treated injuries in Montana as a part-time ski patroller at Red Lodge Ski Resort during high school, a priority is to get more hands-on experience as a provider before committing to the long road into medical school. If Meyer decides to become a physician, he’ll use the Army’s Health Provider Scholarship Program to fund medical school, he said. “I have had the full support of everyone in my chain of command, and they have been very helpful with writing letters of recommendation and allowing me the time to complete my packet,â€Â Meyer said. “If all else fails, I can still exit the Army with a master’s degree and a useful skill. “There are a lot of different routes that I can take to arrive at a point where I can start my [scholarship] packet,â€Â he added, “but after doing a bit of research, I feel that [the physician assistant program] is best tuned to my goals.â€Â March 21, 2011: By Army Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod- 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

For Army Staff Sgt. Brian C. Reddington, an air traffic controller assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Duke, his memories of playing catch with his father also are tinged with sadness.Army Sgt. 1st Class John Stephens, a combat medic and the man Reddington considers his father, was killed in action March 15, 2007, in Tikrit, Iraq, when a shaped charge was thrown at his convoy traveling back to Forward Operating Base Speicher. A veteran with 21 years of service, he was on his second deployment, and assigned to the 1st Infantry Division’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. Reddington was stationed at Fort Rucker, Ala., when he heard the news. “You can never prepare yourself for something like that,â€Â he said. “It happens to other people.â€Â The last time he saw his father was two months before Stephens deployed from Fort Riley, Kan. Despite the loss of a father who had been so influential in raising him, Reddington chooses to remember the timeless memories and lessons passed along. Through them all, the one constant was the American pastime. “Baseball,â€Â Reddington said. “That’s what we did. He was always my coach up until my junior yearâ€Â of high school. Reddington smiled as he remembered one of his baseball games when, as a 14-year-old, he was pitching for a team coached by his father. After being hit hard early by the opposition, his father and coach was on the verge of taking him out, something undoubtedly hard to stomach for both parties involved. “Just give me one more inning,â€Â Reddington recalled saying, wanting one last chance to work his way out of trouble by himself.

 

But Army Sgt. Cecil L. Montgomery still serves not simply because of an attachment to the past, but largely for two special reasons left behind in Kentucky, one of whom still gets around on all fours. Montgomery, a native of the small town of Many, La., is a 1st Infantry Division infantryman and squad leader attached to 2nd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Task Force Duke. His platoon, popularly known as “The Dragoons,â€Â is based at Combat Outpost Narizah when they’re not out on patrol. Unfortunately for anyone desiring a laid-back deployment, however, the Dragoons aren’t in the habit of idly sitting at their outpost and watching the days go by. Such an action-packed infantry life is fine with Montgomery, though. He picked his military occupational specialty because the challenge and the physical aspects of the job intrigued him. He also had an up-close-and-personal view of Army life through his father’s military service, he said. “I just wanted to do something,â€Â he added. “College wasn’t working.â€Â After almost five years of Army service, Montgomery said he’s leaning toward making the military a career, though ultimately, any decision will be made with his wife, Briana, a supply soldier at Fort Knox, Ky. The dual-military couple must balance responsibilities with caring for their 7-month-old daughter, Aubrey. Civilian life will have to wait, Montgomery said, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t already looking ahead to the next stage of his life. He’s considering a career with either the Drug Enforcement Agency or the FBI after his Army service. For now though, that potential future is on hold. His daily responsibilities of providing a safer, more secure Afghanistan take precedence. Some of his fellow soldiers are glad Montgomery’s future civilian exploits are on the back burner and lay far ahead, because for them, the present is where he’s most valuable. “[He’s] one of the best soldiers I’ve ever worked with,â€Â said Army Spc. Abram Sandoval, an infantryman from Phoenix who is a member of Montgomery’s squad. He added that Montgomery’s invaluable experience “helps you think to be two steps ahead of the enemy.â€Â The Dragoons spend most days on an aggressive rotation of combat patrols. Regular visits to nearby villages are designed to not only improve security but foster greater understanding and friendships with local residents. Even on days when not patrolling, however, they’re busy performing security and other necessary tasks. So far, this tour has been a far cry from Montgomery’s last 12-month deployment to Afghanistan with Task Force Duke, which he spent in the notoriously volatile Korengal Valley of Kunar province. That isolated, mountainous region on the eastern border with Pakistan, filled with caves and canyons, was the scene of near-daily exchanges of fire between NATO forces and insurgents, who used the valley to filter weapons and fighters into Afghanistan. Coalition forces since have realigned, focusing on protecting Afghan population centers. This newer emphasis of helping Afghans learn to help themselves in the Task Force Duke area of operations, rather than the constant violence he had been accustomed to in the Korengal Valley, is a welcome change of pace for Montgomery. “We got in fire fights every day,â€Â he said, recounting the daily perils of his last deployment. And just as competition for athletes often is secondary to the months of preparation and training, Montgomery noted, training and building unit cohesion are essential long before soldiers reach the battlefield. That’s why teamwork holds a special place of importance for him. “It’s the most important thing you do,â€Â he said. “You can’t do everything by yourself.â€Â Montgomery is responsible for nine other soldiers. He conducts monthly counseling sessions, maintains accountability of equipment and personnel, and provides daily supervision on combat patrols. But his infantry-specific skills are most important on this deployment, he said, and his job would be a lot harder if not for the people he works with and the training beforehand. Montgomery credits his team’s month-long tour at the National Training Center in August with getting him and his troops ready for the current deployment. The center at Fort Irwin, Calif., is a large-scale training facility designed to get units ready to go into combat. “You learn what’s new in Afghanistan since you had been in garrison, [and it’s] good for the new guys,â€Â he said. Montgomery said the most important advice he dispenses to soldiers on their first deployment may seem partly misguided, but other veterans may agree. “Don’t think about home, as hard as that may be,â€Â he said. “Stay focused on your job and do the right thing.â€Â Still, as a combat veteran with two deployments to his credit, Montgomery knows daily life isn’t always about missions. Equally important is dealing with the inevitable stress associated with the job, and how to cope with it through leisure activities. “We’re always playing X-Box or listening to music,â€Â he said. “Once we get done with patrols, I try to relax, watch movies, and get plenty of sleep.â€Â To stay in shape, he does push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. Other than that, he said, his normal duties and patrolling keep him active and burning calories. As far as what goes into his stomach and where he hangs his hat are concerned, Lady Luck smiled on him and the Dragoons this time around, Montgomery said. “Living conditions are a whole lot better. The food here is 100 percent better than [Combat Outpost] Restrepo,â€Â he said, referring to his last deployment. Montgomery is quick to mention what has stuck with him the most during his two deployments. “I’ll remember how unique the [Afghans] are,â€Â he said. “These people have a very strong desire and drive to succeed.â€Â Montgomery’s platoon leader is glad to have him around. “He’s a squared-away squad leader, tactically sound and efficient, and that’s why he’s my dismounted squad leader,â€Â said Army 2nd Lt. Andrew Short, a Charleston, W.Va., native. “When I need something done, he gets it done.â€Â Daily life likely will continue to be challenging and tiring for Montgomery and the Dragoons over the next 10 months. And despite what he may have told his young soldiers about staying focused on the mission and not to think about home, he’ll be the first to tell you he thinks a lot about those left behind. “I want to see my daughter walk,â€Â Montgomery said with a smile, allowing himself to think about Aubrey’s June 25 birthday, when he hopes to join her on his mid-tour leave. March 17, 2011: By Army Staff Sgt. John Zumer- Task Force Duke

But after a few years he became dissatisfied with the direction his life was taking. “Seeing [how much money] I made, I looked around the office and saw older workers doing the same thing I was doing,â€Â Army Spc. Ricaud Brown said. “That’s when I knew I needed to go to college.â€Â Brown has earned a master’s degree in business administration and secured a position with a financial firm upon completion of his Army obligation in a few months. Several of Brown’s fellow soldiers, inspired by his accomplishments, have pursued their own higher-education goals. “At first I wanted to get a degree in business management,â€Â Brown recalled. “I took an investment class, and I was learning about the stock market. That’s when I decided to change my major to finance.â€Â A few months after graduating from the State University of New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance in 2006, Brown joined the Army to pay off student loans. He has worked as a human resources specialist with the 10th Mountain Division’s 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Falcon, since 2007, having stayed at Fort Drum, N.Y., for his whole enlistment, except when he’s been deployed. Not satisfied with his bachelor’s degree, Brown began working toward his master’s degree in business administration. He took six classes while serving in Iraq. “Those were the toughest times in my life,â€Â he said. “I was working so many hours.â€Â But his leaders, he added, saw to it that he completed what he’d started. Brown said their desire to see him succeed and reach his goals pushed him through those difficult times, noting that Army Staff Sgt. Linda Kremblas made sure he had time to study. “She would stay on me like a mom,â€Â he said. “She would say, ‘Get your work done in six hours. You’ll have the remaining six hours to study.’â€Â Army Sgt. Vernon Redd, another Task Force Falcon human resources noncommissioned officer, also was committed to Brown reaching his educational goals. “It was important for me for two reasons: for himself, and for opening the door for other soldiers,â€Â Redd said. “There were six to seven soldiers who had no previous interest who are furthering their education now.â€Â Brown earned his MBA through Columbia College between his Iraqi deployment and his current deployment to Afghanistan. In a few months, his Army obligation will be up, and he will be leaving Afghanistan to return to civilian life. He has a job lined up as portfolio manager with an investment firm in Miami, he said, and he intends to continue his education. “I’m going to pursue my doctorate in finance in September with the GI Bill,â€Â he said. “My future goal is to get a senior-level management position in an investment firm. I might want to teach at a college in the future. I’m driven to learn everything I can and earn a lot of money as well.â€Â In the meantime, Brown said, he always is interested in teaching others how to invest their money. “I hate seeing soldiers have all these opportunities and not take advantage of it,â€Â he said. “I convinced a fellow soldier to pursue a business degree; he just got into the No. 1 business school in Florida. I just received an e-mail from him thanking me for pushing him.â€Â March 15, 2011: By Army Staff Sgt. Todd Pouliot- Task Force Falcon