Meet Your Military
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Army Sgt. Jason Hudgins, left, installs seats in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with the help of his father, Army Spc. Dale Hudgins, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Monica Smith[/caption] BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Stories abound of soldiers who meet up with family members while serving overseas, but few feature family members who serve in the same company.
Army Sgt. Jason Hudgins, left, installs seats in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with the help of his father, Army Spc. Dale Hudgins, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Monica Smith[/caption] BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Stories abound of soldiers who meet up with family members while serving overseas, but few feature family members who serve in the same company.For Army Sgt. Jason Hudgins of the Delaware National Guard, serving in Afghanistan meant deploying and serving alongside his father, Army Spc. Dale Hudgins. Both soldiers are assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 238th Aviation Brigade, attached to Task Force Knighthawk, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Falcon. “I see him almost every day,â€Â said Jason, a crew chief. “It’s nice to have him here, because when I have questions or problems, he gives me good advice.â€Â Dale, an airframe mechanic, originally was part of the Delaware National Guard’s medical evacuation company, but when Jason’s was called upon to deploy, Dale was asked if he would go to provide maintenance support. “Last August, I was asked if I’d go, and I told them I would,â€Â said Dale, originally from Wilmington, Del. “It’s nice to be here with him because, during his deployment to Iraq, if I heard something on the news about a helicopter going down, I would worry since I knew he flew on helicopters. But now, if something happens, I immediately know about it, and that puts me at ease.â€Â For Jason, being able to see his father often has helped him have an easier deployment than his first one to Iraq. “When I was in Iraq, it was incredibly overwhelming,â€Â he said. “I was 20 years old then, and it was the first time I was away from my parents for an entire year. So, having my father here is comforting.â€Â During the deployment, Jason and Dale work only a minute from one another, making it easy for them to find time to spend together or meet up for a meal. “He’ll come see me while I’m working on sheet metal, or I’ll go and talk with him while he’s working on the aircraft,â€Â Dale said. “We eat together often. In fact, on Father’s Day, Jason took me to eat at the dining facility. It’s been nice to have him here with me.â€Â Oct. 28, 2010: By Army Spc. Monica Smith- Combined Joint Task Force 101
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Air Force Capt. Carrie Zederkof, her father, Ted Lowe, and her brother, Matt Lowe, competed in the 2010 Sahara Race in Egypt, Oct. 3-9, 2010. The Sahara Race is a seven-day, six-stage, 155-mile footrace across the Sahara Desert. Zederkof is a 533rd Training Squadron space-based infrared system mission instructor at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Courtesy photo[/caption] VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A 533rd Training Squadron instructor here completed the 2010 Sahara Race in Egypt this month.
Air Force Capt. Carrie Zederkof, her father, Ted Lowe, and her brother, Matt Lowe, competed in the 2010 Sahara Race in Egypt, Oct. 3-9, 2010. The Sahara Race is a seven-day, six-stage, 155-mile footrace across the Sahara Desert. Zederkof is a 533rd Training Squadron space-based infrared system mission instructor at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Courtesy photo[/caption] VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A 533rd Training Squadron instructor here completed the 2010 Sahara Race in Egypt this month.Air Force Capt. Carrie Zederkof, a space-based infrared system mission instructor, competed against more than 150 competitors from 36 countries Oct. 9 in a race Time magazine named as one of the top 10 endurance competitions in the world.Zederkof's brother, Matt Lowe, found out about the competition online and suggested that she compete. "He mentioned that he wanted to do it last year, three weeks before the start of the competition," Zederkof said. "My dad and I tried to talk him out of it, because it was a little insane to do something like that without training for it, but we told him that we might do it with him if he waited a year -- and the idea just went on from there." A year later, on Oct. 3, Zederkof found herself hauling a 20-pound backpack filled with just enough gear, food and clothing to last seven days through a six-stage, 155-mile footrace over sand and sand dunes in the world's hottest desert. The only assistance provided was water and tents, which she didn't have to tote. "The hardest part for me was the heat," Zederkof said. "I had trained, but hadn't been able to train in heat, because it is not very warm here. It got up to about 118 degrees Fahrenheit nearly every day there. That was the hardest part." To overcome the heat of the desert, the captain said, she continuously consumed water and electrolytes. But that posed its own difficulty, she noted. "It is hard to run on that much water," Zederkof explained. "I definitely drank more water than I would normally drink on a run, and I ending up crashing, or 'bonked' as they say, towards the end of the first day. I had to walk the last three kilometers very slowly, because my body couldn't handle it anymore." At the close of the first day, Zederkof said, she was exhausted and began to doubt her ability to finish the race. But those thoughts didn't last long, she said. "It is all about the people who help you get through the race," she said. "That is what's neat about this. Although it is a competitive race, people are not out to get each other. We all want to finish, we all want to do well, and we all are in pain. It doesn't matter how good of shape you're in. Everyone hurts, but the people were really supportive." Veterans of the race mentored Zederkof, showing her how to balance electrolytes with water and passing along helpful tips, such as the need to snack often to make it through the day. "I told a couple people about this race, and I didn't want to disappoint them," she said. "I don't like quitting." There was no quit in Zederkof as she pushed through the remainder of the race, ambitiously crossing the Valley of Whales, where 40-million-year-old whale fossils protrude in what once was an ancient shallow sea, and then on to the finish line at the Great Pyramids of Giza. Zederkof not only completed the seven-day race, but also placed well in the competition. Out of 156 competitors, 75 percent of whom were men, only 107 people finished the race. Zederkof was the seventh woman and the 39th person overall to cross the finish line. The captain's father, Ted Lowe, and her brother were waiting for her at the finish line and shared in the celebration of the accomplishment of her two goals: to finish the race and to finish the race without injury. "It felt awesome that I had finished, and I was relieved that I made it," Zederkof said. Zederkof said she now is contemplating taking part in another part of a series of endurance events called 4 Deserts that includes The Last Desert in Antarctica, the Gobi March in China, and the Atacama Crossing in Chile. Oct. 27, 2010: By Air Force Senior Airman Steve Bauer, 30th Space Wing
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WASHINGTON – When David Condino started working with the U.S. Coast Guard in 2007, he had little idea that he would soon tackle some of the most important maritime environmental issues in the world.Condino, a civilian employee and member of the Facility Safety Branch at the Coast Guard’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., has been involved in advancing the Coast Guard’s marine environment protection mission by providing guidance and oversight in key international policies.A Master Mariner, Condino holds a license of unlimited tonnage and has sailed the world’s oceans thus creating a deep connection to all things maritime. Through his global travels, he has gained a firsthand perspective of how garbage thrown overboard affects the maritime environment.Although regulations require ports and terminals to provide some waste reception facilities so garbage and other shipboard generated wastes can be disposed of properly, under certain circumstances, the disposal of garbage such as cardboard, paper, metal, and other operational wastes may be discharged while a ship is underway. When the opportunity to help protect the marine environment with more stringent regulation of shipboard garbage arose, Condino couldn’t help but get involved, landing him at the forefront of international action. Over the past several years, Condino was the Coast Guard lead, spearheading the United States’ effort to engage the International Maritime Organization to reform regulations to improve the marine habitat. He worked closely with other agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and the Departments of State and Navy. The IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in London that develops international regulations for maritime shipping. As a governing body, the IMO plays a critical role in crafting marine environmental protection protocols, with one such protocol being the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. This policy is followed globally and is more commonly referred to as the MARPOL Convention. In July of 1991, the wider Caribbean region, which includes the Gulf of Mexico, was designated as a special area. Because of this designation, new, stricter rules for discharging garbage from ships, would be in effect. But, before these rules could be enforced, the United States and other wider Caribbean region countries would have to prove to the IMO that adequate reception facilities were available to handle the increase in garbage disposed in port. Condino launched an aggressive effort to ensure the United States had accurate details on the capabilities of reception facilities and that they were indeed prepared to handle the increase in the disposal of shore side waste. Armed with this information, the United States along with 25 other nations certified to the IMO that they were ready for the new rules governing the wider Caribbean region area to come into effect. The IMO accepted this certification in March 2010 and as a result, on May 1, 2011, the Gulf of Mexico will become a cleaner maritime habitat. Jeffrey G. Lantz, director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, said that “as the United States’ lead agency to the IMO, the Coast Guard and its members such as Dave are a critical component in coordinating US interagency support for safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans. Dave’s efforts on reporting adequate reception facilities are immeasurable to ensuring the protection of the marine environment in the Caribbean area.â€Â Protecting the marine environment from the effects of pollution such as shipboard waste is an ongoing process, and one that will require continued efforts by people like Condino. Cleaning up our oceans and maritime environment is a long journey, but if you walk by Condino’s desk you will see a simple statement posted on his wall that remains his constant motivation…“Let’s talk some trash.â€Â Oct. 26, 2010: By U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g Stephanie Young and Lt. Cdr. Kevin Lynn- American Forces Press Service
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Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Edwards, a wounded warrior, chose to remain on active duty and continues to lead soldiers at U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder, Germany. U.S. Army photo by Ignacio Rubalcava[/caption] BAUMHOLDER, Germany, Oct. 26, 2009 – The noncommissioned officer corps often is considered the backbone of the Army, but defining what it means to be a part of that brotherhood is not as easy as it sounds. A wounded warrior now serving in the plans, training, mobilization and security directorate at the U.S. Army garrison here believes that attaining NCO status does not automatically make a soldier a leader. Though his injuries prevent him from accomplishing the basics such as physical training, weapons training or physically showing other soldiers how to perform tasks, Sgt. 1st Class Chris Edwards has elected to remain in the Army and continue to serve. After becoming an NCO, Edwards said, a soldier usually goes through a transition period before becoming an effective leader, and learning humility is an important aspect of that transition. "I think that the easiest way to transfer from being an NCO to a leader is for one, you have to be humble,â€Â he said. “In the grand scheme of life, you're not better than anybody else. Yes, you're a higher rank. You've probably been in longer than your troops. But to really be a leader, you have to take the needs of your soldiers before the needs of yourself. Once your troops figure out that you're there for them and not the other way around, that's when you become a leader. That's when they give you the respect. “You earn the respect; you haven't demanded it,â€Â he continued. “They give it to you freely, and it's a much better environment." An NCO doesn’t need to yell and scream to get respect, Edwards said. “It irritates me to no end to see a young NCO yelling and screaming at his guys,â€Â he said. “You could get twice as far with just a calm word and explaining to them what they're doing wrong instead of yelling at them.â€Â The transition from being an NCO to being a leader comes with maturity, Edwards said, “because then you're leading your troops, you're not telling them what to do." Edwards said that being an NCO has taken on a totally different perspective for him since he was injured, but the meaning of being an NCO remains as intact in his mind as when he was able to lead his soldiers into battle. "Being a wounded warrior, I chose to stay on active duty,â€Â he said. “I didn't need to, but it's just that I love being an NCO. I don't think there's any greater honor than leading troops into battle." But things are much different for him now, Edwards acknowledged. "I'm just being around the guys,â€Â he said. “I'm helping out the younger troops with whatever it might be - helping to spread a little bit of knowledge, a little bit of wisdom. "Being an NCO is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,â€Â he continued. “Once you leave, you're done. I mean, you can always retire and sit around reliving the glory days, but I wasn't ready for that, so I chose to stay in and still live them." October 26, 2009: By Ignacio Rubalcava- Public Affairs Office at U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder- Special to American Forces Press Service Redistributed by www.SupportOurTroops.org
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Disc jockey Bob Bullion, known today as DJ Bob in the American Forces Network studio at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, joined the Marine Corps in 1969. Bullion was determined to become a disc jockey and he performed his first radio show in April 1976. Courtesy photo[/caption] MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan – Walking into the American Forces Network studio here, I half-expected to meet an old disc jockey trapped in his former glory days, looking like a 1970s-era car salesman decked out in a leisure suit and gold chains.
Disc jockey Bob Bullion, known today as DJ Bob in the American Forces Network studio at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, joined the Marine Corps in 1969. Bullion was determined to become a disc jockey and he performed his first radio show in April 1976. Courtesy photo[/caption] MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan – Walking into the American Forces Network studio here, I half-expected to meet an old disc jockey trapped in his former glory days, looking like a 1970s-era car salesman decked out in a leisure suit and gold chains.Yet Bob Bullion, known today as DJ Bob, is nothing like this. He has worked the airwaves here since 1990 when he retired from the Marine Corps and settled down in Japan.Bullion’s recipe for success, he said, is to play what people want to hear. “I try to play as much continuous music as possible and not interrupt with announcements,â€Â he said. “One thing I’ve always been famous for is playing requests. A lot of DJs will take them, but they won’t play them.â€Â Bullion said he is doing what he was born to do -- entertaining people with tunes. “I always wanted to be a DJ,â€Â said Bullion. “When I was young I would make a microphone out of Tinkertoys.â€Â Bullion said he became enamored with radio in high school. His dreams had to be put on hold, though, when he joined the Marine Corps in 1969. “If I didn’t join [the Marines], I would have been drafted,â€Â he said. After initial training, Bullion was posted to Iwakuni for the first time, he said, where he worked in aviation supply. Promoted to staff sergeant in five years, Bullion said he never was able to make a lateral move from aviation supply into military radio. Meanwhile, Bullion said he volunteered to do anything he could at the then-Allied Forces Network station here. His dedication paid off and he performed his first live radio show in April 1976. Music has evolved, and so did Bullion’s call sign. Originally, he began as Disco Bob, he said, and later became Mr. B, and then DJ Bob. “The word consistent wraps him,â€Â said Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Troy M. Ruby, affiliate superintendent for AFN here. “He does a good, solid radio show.â€Â Meanwhile, Bullion continues to broadcast tunes over the airwaves to entertain his fans. “If it sounds good to me then I’ll play it and usually, if it’s good to me, it’s a hit,â€Â said Bullion, who has hosted more than 1,000 live shows and announced for numerous Japanese beauty contests. Oct. 25, 2010: By Marine Corps Cpl. Joseph Marianelli- Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni