Meet Your Military
- Details
- Hits: 2486
[caption id="attachment_3476" align="alignleft" width="308"]
Army Sgt. Asha Narayan brought attitude and ambition to her deployment to U.S. Division Center in Baghdad. Courtesy photo[/caption] BAGHDAD – When Army Sgt. Asha Narayan digs her hands into something, she digs all the way. Her aspirations are as big as her personality, and she says it’s all because of strong values and people who have believed in her.
Army Sgt. Asha Narayan brought attitude and ambition to her deployment to U.S. Division Center in Baghdad. Courtesy photo[/caption] BAGHDAD – When Army Sgt. Asha Narayan digs her hands into something, she digs all the way. Her aspirations are as big as her personality, and she says it’s all because of strong values and people who have believed in her.Narayan, a patient administrator with 1st Armored Division’s Company B, Division Special Troops Battalion, serving here with U.S. Division Center, said she aspires to be a general officer in the Army one day, as well as to earn a doctorate in chemistry. And those who know her have no doubt she’ll do everything she can to attain her goals.“I love her fearlessness, motivation and willingness to learn new things and take on new challenges,â€Â said Army Capt. Michele Kehrle, medical operations and patient administration officer in charge. “Sergeant Narayan shies away from nothing.â€Â While growing up in the South American nation of Guyana, Narayan said, she was given strong values from the start from her traditional Indian family. “Respect for elders is held very high in my culture, so growing up, I knew my place,â€Â Narayan said. “The greatest value I learned from my grandparents is honesty. Honesty is something I value a lot.â€Â Narayan, who now hails from Valley Stream, N.Y., said she has molded strength with military tact over the years to become the person she is today, noting that her strength came from overcoming obstacles such as having to support herself at 16. Still, she admitted she was full of attitude when she joined the Army. “My attitude has improved drastically over the years,â€Â she said. “I get told a lot about my attitude, and I appreciate the constructive criticism given to me. I love the person I am today because of a stern noncommissioned officer I once had. I am a lot nicer. I care about other people’s feelings, and I have more compassion.â€Â Kehrle agreed that Narayan has learned to benefit from constructive criticism. “Her strongest qualities are her open-mindedness to recommendations and mentorship, and her motivation,â€Â the captain said. “Personally, she is considerate, level-headed, introspective and reliable.â€Â Narayan said her strong personality is her strength, but her attitude is her weakness. “That’s the only thing I would change about myself,â€Â she said. “I have come a long way, but there is always room to improve. I work on it, and I change it all the time. I’m proud of myself for that.â€Â Still, Narayan said, attitude is as important as ability when it comes to success. “I made [the] commandant’s list when I graduated [from the] Warrior Leaders Course,â€Â she said. “I went there with the idea in my head that I was going to make that list. All my NCOs told me they knew I could do it. I think other people have a lot more confidence in me than I do in myself.â€Â Narayan said that while she’s proud of what she’s achieved in the Army so far, she has her sights set on even more. “I think the enlisted side [of the Army] is amazing, but I think of myself as more of a leader, like on the officer’s side of the house,â€Â she said. “I definitely want to retire from the Army. It’s a great organization, and in 20 years, I’ll be done. Too easy. I’ve always wanted to be a general someday.â€Â Narayan needs to finish her bachelor’s degree to be an officer in the Army, but she doesn’t plan to stop there. She sees a doctorate in chemistry in her future. “It’s always been a goal in my life,â€Â she said. “I love putting different pieces of information together and seeing what I come up with as the creation.â€Â Narayan said cultural awareness is another passion of hers. Upon arriving here in May during Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, she volunteered to put together cultural information for fellow soldiers to help them better understand cultural differences. “It was interesting to be a part of the celebration and show people we are not all the same,â€Â Narayan said. “It is important for me to show people there is more to a culture than what they think.â€Â She added that she would like to be an equal opportunity advisor for her unit in the future. “It is so important to reach out for a better understanding of cultures,â€Â she said, “because in the Army, we all work so closely with each other.â€Â Narayan also organized a 10-mile combat medic run, open to anyone to honor the military medical occupations. “What makes Sergeant Narayan stand out is [that] she is the kind of person and NCO who says ‘What can I do?’ versus ‘Why I cannot,’â€Â Kehrle said. “That is a rare and invaluable trait.â€Â As Narayan continues to reach above places where others find limits, she said, she never forgets who helped her along the way. “My biggest appreciation is that my NCOs never gave up on me,â€Â she said. “Anything I wanted to do, they have always supported me. That to me made the biggest difference in my career. I appreciate my leaders for not giving up on me and helping me be the person I am today.â€Â Sept. 8, 2010: By Army Sgt. Kimberly Johnson- U.S. Division Center
- Details
- Hits: 4003
[caption id="attachment_3486" align="alignleft" width="287"]
Marine Corps Cpl. Sage Koch has been running for 11 years and currently runs for the All-Marine Running Team. U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew S. Avitt[/caption] MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – A self-proclaimed “averageâ€Â runner from Bismarck, N.D., who has worked at it for 11 years has earned himself a spot on the Marine Corps running team.
Marine Corps Cpl. Sage Koch has been running for 11 years and currently runs for the All-Marine Running Team. U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew S. Avitt[/caption] MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – A self-proclaimed “averageâ€Â runner from Bismarck, N.D., who has worked at it for 11 years has earned himself a spot on the Marine Corps running team.And Marine Corps Cpl. Sage Koch doesn’t plan on slowing down any time soon.“I was just a regular Joe like anybody else,â€Â he said. “I started from the bottom and worked my way up.â€Â His competitive stride was first put to the test in middle school, as Koch began running for the school’s track and field team. “The first event I ever ran was a mile,â€Â Koch said. “For me, it was good for relaxation to help me with the daily stress.â€ÂAs he progressed to high school, he found that becoming a freshman meant not only tougher classes, but also a more serious attitude toward his running. “As I became older, competition became more a part of the picture, and along with track, I also started running cross-country,â€Â he said. Although running was his passion, he said, not all running made him happy. The closest he ever came to running in a sprint event was an 800-meter race, but it wasn’t by choice. “I hated that race,â€Â he said. “The coach would always put me in it so that I could get my speed up, so that I could run that faster mile.â€Â After graduating from high school, Koch accepted a cross-country scholarship to a nearby community college. But after a year, he decided he needed something different and enlisted in the Marine Corps in March 2008. “I wanted to get out and see the world,â€Â he said. His three-mile time is 15:19, which has earned him the name “Smokeâ€Â from Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Thomas Russi of Company A, Headquarters Battalion, who unholsters the name every time he sees Koch in the gym. With a time like that, Koch said, he had trouble finding a running partner, until about six months ago. Sarah Raschiatore, also a running enthusiast and a physical trainer at the Combat Center’s East Gym, began running with Koch and training for various running events. “Sage is very passionate about running,â€Â she said. “He loves it, and has a great positive attitude and mental strength for it.â€Â Although Koch is the best he has ever been, she noted, he continues to get stronger and has transferred his focus on running longer and longer races. “He’s building up his miles,â€Â she said. Since January, Koch has recorded the miles he has accumulated in base competitions such as the Road Runner Challenge and in his other training. He just passed the 2,000-mile mark. The Road Runner challenge helps to keep track of his mileage, he said, and the competition always encourages him to give it his all. “I want to run professionally, but I’ve got a long way to go,â€Â he said. “But if I keep at it, I know good things will come.â€Â Although running professionally is the ultimate goal, Koch said, he sees himself back at college running competitively while he earns his degree. “I’m running about 70 miles-a-week,â€Â he said. “That’s a lot, [but] some professional runners run 130 or 140 miles-a-week.â€Â Koch identified persistence as his formula for success. “People always ask me how do I do it,â€Â he said, “and I tell them, ‘You’ve just got to do it. You’ve got to push your body and your limits to get better. The only way for improvement is by practice, and the best time for practice is now.’ If everyone starts at the bottom, there’s only one way to go but up.â€Â Sept. 7, 2010: By Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew S. Avitt- Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms
- Details
- Hits: 3579
[caption id="attachment_3688" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Sailors assigned to Boston-berthed USS Constitution demonstrate boarding pike drills in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on Aug. 28, 2010, as part of Navy Week. Some of the Constitution’s crew also prepared and served hot meals to people at a Baltimore homeless shelter on Aug. 30, 2010. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Shannon S. Heavin[/caption] BALTIMORE Navy sailors assigned to the Boston-berthed USS Constitution, prepared and served hot food to people at a local homeless shelter here Aug. 30 as part of Navy Week activities.
Sailors assigned to Boston-berthed USS Constitution demonstrate boarding pike drills in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on Aug. 28, 2010, as part of Navy Week. Some of the Constitution’s crew also prepared and served hot meals to people at a Baltimore homeless shelter on Aug. 30, 2010. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Shannon S. Heavin[/caption] BALTIMORE Navy sailors assigned to the Boston-berthed USS Constitution, prepared and served hot food to people at a local homeless shelter here Aug. 30 as part of Navy Week activities.Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Melissa Santiago and Petty Officer 2nd Class Stuart Macgillivray – who serve aboard the USS Constitution, known as “Old Ironsides,â€Â were among sailors at the event held at the “Our Daily Soup Kitchenâ€Â shelter, as part of Baltimore Navy Week activities that began Aug. 28 and run through Sept. 6. The USS Constellation, the USS Constitution's sister ship, is permanently berthed here."I am glad to have had this opportunity," Macgillivray said. "This shows that military branches are not just here to defend the country, big-picture-wise, but we are here to help in any way we can.â€ÂThe sailors served about 300 guests at the shelter, of which 15 to 20 percent were homeless. "It has been great and unusual to have military personnel here," said Aaron Kennedy, a volunteer coordinator. "Not many guests here have an idea about what the Navy is. This brought a new level of understanding to them in a supportive setting." Since 2007, Our Daily Soup Kitchen has served an average of 700 meals -- seven days a week and 365 days a year -- to men, women and children of all ages. Our Daily Soup Kitchen not only feeds those who are hungry but also provides shelter and recovery programs leading to employment. This is the fourth Navy Week that Constitution sailors have participated in this year. They performed similar outreach activities during Des Moines Navy Week, April 19 to 24; Spokane Navy Week, May 10 to 15; and Boston Navy Week, June 30 to July 5. "Constitution sailors are active in community service programs, not only when we are participating in Navy Weeks but year-round in Boston," said Navy Cmdr. Timothy Cooper, the 71st commander of the Constitution. "I think community outreach programs provide our sailors with opportunities to make an immediate positive impact on the lives of people who have fallen into difficulties." Baltimore Navy Week is one of 20 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2010. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and to increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence. Constitution is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. She is the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year. Sept. 2, 2010: By Navy Seaman Shannon S. Heavin- USS Constitution Public Affairs
- Details
- Hits: 2624
[caption id="attachment_3481" align="alignleft" width="289"]
Marine Corps Sgt. Dominick Valerio, a squad leader with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, teaches a casualty evacuation class in Sangin, Afghanistan, Aug. 27, 2010. Valerio views every moment with his squad as an opportunity to teach them something new, preparing them for the challenges that await them. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ned Johnson[/caption] SANGIN, Afghanistan – Marine Corps Sgt. Dominick Valerio said he joined the military because the men in his family have always defended America’s freedom.
Marine Corps Sgt. Dominick Valerio, a squad leader with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, teaches a casualty evacuation class in Sangin, Afghanistan, Aug. 27, 2010. Valerio views every moment with his squad as an opportunity to teach them something new, preparing them for the challenges that await them. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ned Johnson[/caption] SANGIN, Afghanistan – Marine Corps Sgt. Dominick Valerio said he joined the military because the men in his family have always defended America’s freedom.“My grandfather served in World War II, and both my uncles are Vietnam vets,â€Â said Valerio, a squad leader here with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. “My brothers also serve in the army.â€ÂHaving served in the Marine Corps Security Forces, Valerio said he likes teaching young Marines. Though he always knew he would end up in the military, Valerio said the Marine Corps’ “dragon slayerâ€Â commercial convinced him to become a Marine. Valerio said he wanted to emulate a member of his family who serves as a Marine infantryman, known in military vernacular as a “grunt.â€Â “My brother-in-law is with 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, and is a ‘grunt,’â€Â said Valerio, a 22-year-old native of Phelps, New York. “I knew I wanted to be an infantryman and I told the recruiter I would do nothing else.â€Â After completing basic infantryman training Valerio was given the opportunity to receive advanced training when he elected to work in security forces rather than a regular infantry line company. “As a ‘Security Forces’ Marine,â€Â Valerio said, “I went to the Urban Assault Leader’s Course, Joint Fires Observer Course, Infantry Squad Leader’s Course, and a ton of other schools.â€Â Lance Cpl. Ryan Kinne, a team leader with Company K, said he appreciates Valerio’s mentorship. “He will teach you anything you want to know, if you ask,â€Â said Kinne, a 21-year-old native of San Antonio. “He’s given us classes on calling for fire, medical evacuation procedures and lots of other things.â€Â Valerio said his teaching style is anything but conventional. “I like to use physical training to teach Marines,â€Â he said. “We might go on a run and I can tell when everyone needs a break, so I’ll stop and teach them something important.â€Â Valerio said he also incorporates other types of physical training into his instruction, like carrying a litter and other tasks Marines may have to perform under fire. In Afghanistan, Kinne said, Valerio’s training sessions have had a positive impact on the battlefield. “We have taken casualties and we have had to transport them to a landing zone and call in a casualty report,â€Â he said. “That’s where the training paid off.â€Â Kinne said Valerio’s “peopleâ€Â skills help him to connect with his Marines. “He is very well-spoken,’ Kinne said of Valerio. “He can explain something no matter who you are.â€Â Other Marines who know Valerio, like Lance Cpl. Joshua Matthews, a team leader with Company K, say his physical courage, military skills and teaching ability have gained him the respect of his subordinates and superiors. But Valerio also has earned his Marines’ trust because of his moral courage, Matthews said. “My favorite thing about him as a squad leader is that he sticks up for his Marines,â€Â Matthews said of Valerio. “Even at the risk of getting himself in trouble, he has stood beside Marines that he thought were in the right.â€Â Sept. 3, 2010: By Marine Corps Cpl. Ned Johnson- Regimental Combat Team 2
- Details
- Hits: 2497
[caption id="attachment_3693" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Air Force Maj. Gen. Joseph Reynes Jr. addresses attendees at the Air Force Central Command-Iraq Planning Conference at Camp Victory, Iraq, May 28, 2010. Reynes has served as the director of the Air Component Coordination Element in Iraq, the director of the force strategic engagement cell for U.S. forces in Iraq, and 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Baghdad, Detachment 2 commander during his 18 months in Iraq. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Perry Aston[/caption] CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, – After spending more than a year coordinating airpower in Iraq and helping to ensure U.S. forces there drew down to less than 50,000 boots on the ground, the top airman in Iraq is headed home.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Joseph Reynes Jr. addresses attendees at the Air Force Central Command-Iraq Planning Conference at Camp Victory, Iraq, May 28, 2010. Reynes has served as the director of the Air Component Coordination Element in Iraq, the director of the force strategic engagement cell for U.S. forces in Iraq, and 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Baghdad, Detachment 2 commander during his 18 months in Iraq. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Perry Aston[/caption] CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, – After spending more than a year coordinating airpower in Iraq and helping to ensure U.S. forces there drew down to less than 50,000 boots on the ground, the top airman in Iraq is headed home.Serving as the director of the Air Component Coordination Element in Iraq, the director of the force strategic engagement cell for U.S. forces in Iraq, and the 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force-Baghdad, Detachment 2 commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Reynes Jr. has watched the number of servicemembers in Iraq decrease from 148,000 to almost 50,000, and the number of airmen decrease from more than 12,000 to fewer than 6,000.Reynes explained the mission the Air Force has had in Iraq during his 18-months-plus tenure."We've provided timely and precise air mobility," he said. "We've had 24/7 unblinking [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] to cover and work with our joint force partners. And then, of course, we've had kinetic and non-kinetic operations at the discretion of the commanders in support of their missions."It's been an awesome mission that we've executed over and over again, and we've just gotten better every day," the general added. U.S. forces in Iraq have transitioned from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn. And, although the Air Force's mission in Iraq will mostly stay the same, Reynes said, it will continue to evolve. "What's evolved is how we translated those missions, and how we've drawn down at the same time," Reynes said. "[We're] executing the same missions, 24/7, 365 [days a year], in support of the ground force commander. And they've done that while we've done one of the most historic drawdowns, while executing the mission at the same time." Moving into Operation New Dawn means adapting to a smaller footprint for U.S. airmen and growing capabilities for Iraqi airmen, the general said. It's a new beginning for Iraq, he said, noting the Iraqi air force has grown from 1,500 airmen and 28 aircraft two years ago, to 7,000 airmen and more than 100 aircraft now. The Iraqi air force is expected to grow to more than 10,000 members by 2012, Reynes said. Meanwhile, he said, Iraqi airmen are beginning to move onto bases such as Joint Base Balad, and Ali and Sather air bases. "We'll continue to support and do the same missions we've done, but at the same time we're handing more and more off to our Iraqi partners," Reynes said. "And over the next year, you're going to see more partnering with our Iraqi brothers and sisters, but also we'll be doing more training. "[It's a] mission they want to do and execute," he said of Iraq’s airmen. "And we're working with them to ensure they are the best they can be." As the drawdown continues, about 6,000 U.S. airmen will remain in Iraq, Reynes said. The Air Force footprint has gotten smaller, he said, but airmen will retain the same capabilities to execute a variety of missions in support of ground forces. "Operation New Dawn really doesn't change anything for our airmen," Reynes said. "They are still going to be executing the same missions as they were before, but there will be fewer airmen. We're still going to be providing ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance].â€Â We're still going to be providing timely and precise cargo and passenger movement. And of course,â€Â he continued, “every day and every night there are going to be aircraft airborne, just in case kinetics are needed, and in more cases, just for that presence over the battlefield for 24/7, 365 [days a week] overwatch." While doing all of this, airmen will be training Iraqi airmen throughout the country so they can completely take over the mission by the end of 2011, the general said. "Airmen will be partnering with our Iraqi brothers as we develop the Iraqi air force, as we continue to work to develop those partnerships and engagements with our Iraqi brothers and sisters as we move toward end of mission," he said. Sept. 1, 2010: By Air Force Staff Sgt. Sanjay Allen- Air Component Coordination Element-Iraq