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It’s the best time of year — not only are the triple digits of summer finally gone, but ArmyNavy is coming. Last year, I got to bounce between the press box and stands of the game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the experience was unforgettable — not just because of the homemade Philly cheesesteaks and cameo appearance by thenSecDef Gen. James Mattis.
The fans do not hold back in how they display their team pride, with everything from homemade “GO ARMY” garb to battleship hats for the Navy side. The pomp and circumstance of a military event is enough to make any onlooker want to march down to the closest recruiting center, but this particular event is so much more. Before the game even starts, military aircraft, parachute jumps, and a tribute to President George H.W. Bush set a certain vibe, but then the National Anthem plays and 66,000+ in attendance get silent. You can feel that the words hold a different meaning in that stadium.
If you can’t see the game in person Dec. 14th, I recommend creating your own at-home tradition or, if deployed, organize a day’s worth of festivities. It is something we pause to celebrate every year in my house with enough food to feed an Army — no pun intended.
Visit https://armynavygame.com to learn more about the rivalry.
Thomas Hallowell, who works in facilities management at APM Terminals in Elizabeth, New Jersey, retired this year after 33 years of service. Photo by John DeFiora Photography.
Bianca M. Strzalkowski
West Point cadets cheer during last year’s Army-Navy Game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Army defeated the Navy for their third year in a row. Photo by Spc. Dana Clarke.
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In September 2018, two women from Reno, Nevada, with no legislative experience joined forces in a quest to bring a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program to their state. Bonded by a common goal to make the world a better place, Grace Nichols and Heather Goulding — affectionately nicknamed the Tsunami Sisters by Nevada military officials — worked to build a coalition to push legislation through the 2019 legislative session in order to bring the high school credit recovery program to Nevada.
“Like most military and business projects, the keys to our success were teamwork and commitment to our goal. Heather and I leveraged our strengths and networks to build our coalition,” Nichols said. “When we got stuck, we reached out to our coalition to go over, under, around, or through to the next step.”
One of the key members of the coalition was Brig. Gen. William R. Burks, the recently-retired adjutant general for the state of Nevada who at the helm of the Nevada Military Department was responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, programs and plans affecting about 4,400 Nevada Army and Air National Guard personnel.
“Heather and Grace were nicknamed the Tsunami Sisters, but they didn’t leave destruction in their path like a tsunami,” Burks said. “Their passion and determination will leave a lasting impact on all cadets that complete the program.”
Jeff White, chief of National Guard Youth Programs, refers to Goulding and Nichols as the Dynamo Duo.
“Grace and Heather quickly checked all the boxes, while gaining backing from all necessary key players, to the point where they made an often complicated process seamless,” White said.
While White is always happy to talk to any private citizen about ChalleNGe, he notes there is a formal process to establish a NGYCP, which includes first finding an available facility, followed by obtaining support from the governor, state lawmakers, military officials and key government officials. The final step is the submittal of a Site Suitability Assessment package to the National Guard Youth Programs office.
Currently, the state of Ohio is working to apply for a NGYCP in 2020, while current NGYCPs in Washington, California and West Virginia are
hoping to expand existing programs to meet the hopeful candidates still waiting on a slot.
Goulding cites framing the ChalleNGe program in a way that touched hearts and minds rather than making it about Nevada politics as the reason why Senate Bill 295 passed both houses unanimously. On June 3, 2019, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed it into law.
“This bill clearly went beyond politics,” Goulding said. “Every person who touched it made a difference. A whole bunch of people made a positive contribution in the lives of those young people this program will impact.”
Burks believes the bill’s passing is an obvious win-win for the state of Nevada because it will benefit thousands of young people.
“The best ambassadors of the program are the cadets that go on to make a difference in their communities as productive citizens,” Burks said.
Nichols and Goulding were recently honored with Nevada State Commendation Medals, the highest honor the Nevada National Guard can present to civilians. Burks believes their honor was well deserved.
“I may have been the quarterback, but this bill was a total team effort. Heather and Grace were the initial spark, they laid the foundation and led the charge,” Burks said. “When I look back, being a part of this bill was a dream come true because it literally checked off the last item on my career bucket list before I retired.”
Andrea Downing Peck is a freelance writer, Accredited Financial Counselor® and retired Navy spouse from Bainbridge Island, Washington. She received her accreditation as an AFC through the FINRA Military Spouse Fellowship program.
is a freelance writer, Army wife and mother of three. Over the past 12 years, she’s discovered the joys of coffee, lifting weights and most of the menial tasks of motherhood. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found hiding behind the sewing machine or with her nose in a book. You can follow her on her website and social media.
Lt. Col. Brad Priest currently serves as a Reserve Component Mission Support Officer for the United States Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. He serves as Army National Guard/U.S. Army Reserve Advisor to the U.S. Army Materiel Command and to the ARNG Assistant Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command for all ARNG and USAR matters.
is a current Air National Guard member with over 18 years of service. He is a husband to a loving wife and a father of amazing twins. In addition to his full-time career in the National Guard, he is a college level adjunct business instructor and an avid volunteer in his community. He enjoys playing basketball and has a passion for helping others. Jason is super excited to be a new dad and looks forward to the future with his family.
is a Navy wife, mom of two boys, writer and a prospect researcher at a small liberal arts college in Upstate New York. When she isn’t freelance writing, she writes fiction. She won the Scintillating Starts Writers Advice Fiction Contest in 2019 and is published in Flash Fiction Magazine.
Emily is a graduate of the prestigious New York State Summer Writers Institute. She earned her B.A. in Journalism from St. Michael’s College and her M.A. in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University.
T.T. Robinson
is a freelance writer, editor and speaker. She is the founder of Humans on the Homefront and author of the New York Times Deployment Diary. Her work has been featured in the Washington Post, We Are The Mighty, Military. com and several other outlets. She is a graduate of Harvard’s Leadership in Crises Executive Education program, something that has proved super helpful as the mother of two young children.
is a Public Affairs Specialist with the Anniston Army Depot. She completed a Master of Science in Liberal Studies from Jacksonville State University and is skilled in journalism, page layout and design, marketing, internal and external communications and a variety of social media platforms.
Jennifer Bacchus
Jason Nordlund
Emily Marcason-Tolmie
Rebecca Alwine
A survey paints an alarming picture of what kids are encountering online, while more than half of parents admit to not monitoring activity.
Nearly one-third of adolescents said they met someone online who claimed to be someone they were not, using fake photos and fake identities, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance, while other findings reveal only 41% of parents say they check their teenager online versus 68% who monitor children under 9 years old. At a time when digital users are connected daily at school, work and home, experts recommend families take stock of their cyber fitness.
Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Alexander Hubert, CISSP, director, Cyber Security Division, 2D Theater Signal Brigade at Wiesbaden, Germany, is a school mentor and understands how cyber security affects every member of the military family.
“Much of our life today is lived, posted, and shared online, from personal matters to legal and financial matters,” Hubert said. He suggests families address the following questions to improve their cyber fitness:
What are my kids doing online?
• Know kids’ passwords, browsing and social media history, messages, and posts.
What am I doing online that endangers my family?
• Pictures taken with location services on and posted to social media allows predators to pinpoint your location.
• Cat-phishing, spear-phishing, whale-phishing, phishing, cyber-bullying, cyber-shaming, and adware/malware are real. People have lost their lives over this. Talk about cybersecurity, be aware, and protect and defend your cybersecurity landscape.
How safe are my online finances and private transactions?
• Financial information is only as safe as the cybersecurity of the financial institution and your device.
• Check for the lock icon or “https:” in your browser address bar to ensure communication between you and the bank’s website is encrypted and secure.
• Protect devices, including mobile, by ensuring every device has anti-virus/malware software application and third-party applications such as Adobe or Java are set to auto update and most current versions.
• Use strong passwords, such as two uppercase characters, two lowercase, two numbers, two special characters, and then repeat.
4. Am I happy with my online persona and what can I do about it?
a. Take inventory about you, your family, and your online persona.
b. Google all variations of your name and do the same for family members.
c. If anything should not be online, get it removed. Every site has a Privacy Policy and opt-out process to ask site owner to remove content.
Col. Brett Riddle, director of the Cyber Battle Lab at Fort Gordon, Georgia, expands on risks regarding seemingly “innocuous” smart speakers and digital assistants.
“It is important for military families to know that though the device may appear to off, it is listening all times, waiting to hear key words that trigger the assistant to respond and record,” Riddle said. Smart speakers can record conversations not meant to be recorded, which may then be uploaded to the cloud database and become property of the tech company. He continues, “…these companies reviewing the recordings from smart speakers have
little regulated oversight,” and therefore, “the risk of personal information leaking is significant.”
In addition, Riddle says though, “OPSEC is trained pretty rigorously within the ranks, it doesn’t cover risks associated with smart speakers and we often times let our guard down when we are within the comfort of home.”
Follow these precautions:
1. Turn off/mute smart speakers when not needed.
2. Configure privacy settings to disable recording function — each device is different; recommend a web search for device being used.
3. Disable settings not needed.
4. Review and delete previous recordings. Be advised deleting recordings could impact devices ability to recognize voice commands.
5. Secure wireless network using WPA2 (wireless encryption).
6. Give wireless router and modem a name; don’t stick with defaults.
Bluetooth is built into almost every electronic device and as we embrace the Internet of Things, this trend will continue, Riddle says, and “given this connectivity, it is important for military families to understand there are still risks within the Bluetooth protocols and coding that we all need to be aware of.”
Steps to mitigate Bluetooth attacks:
1. Turn Bluetooth off when not needed.
2. Ensure Bluetooth is current. Unfortunately, only way to update Bluetooth within cell phones is purchasing a new one.
3. Change Bluetooth settings to nondiscoverable (hidden). When purchasing wireless headsets or ear buds, purchase models with encryption, and only pair device to known, trusted devices.
4. When possible, change PIN to more secure combinations, not defaults. Always be alert when using public networks.
ONE SOLDIER’S STORY
By“You can’t help but to reflect and think how it changed your life … I got 15 souls on my conscious and 51 (wounded soldiers who received) Purple Hearts,” he said.
Hallowell served in every component of the Army from reserve to active to National Guard, deploying four times since Sept. 11, 2001. He’s also experienced the survivor’s guilt attached to losing men, evident from the makeshift memorial of their faces displayed in front of his desk.
The New Jersey-native hung up his ACUs for a final time after 33 years, seven months and 24 days of service, but “who’s counting,” he jokes. Now he dons a hard hat, safety vest and work boots representing an entirely different field: supply chain management. Hallowell says he is thankful for the chance to climb the proverbial ladder — literally and figuratively — in an industry that was once unknown to him.
“I really appreciate companies like APM willing to take a chance with a 50-something year old guy that knows nothing about this business,” he said. “APM recognizes that with military leaders they get individuals who know how to lead and manage people and solve problems. The industry technical skills can be taught. Soft skills cannot.”
In 2015, Hallowell was hired to work in facilities management for APM Terminals, an international company operating 76 ports and over 100 inland service locations globally, according to its website. He was referred to the company because of its veteran-friendly reputation when his deployment to the Kingdom of Jordan was winding down.
On a clear, blue weekday Thomas Hallowell steps outside his office and has a straight line of sight to New York’s changed skyline. The majestic building known as the Freedom Tower is a reminder of the Army uniform he wore to foreign lands in defense of what once stood in its location. The symbolism is not lost on him.
Today, he wears a different type of uniform for APM Terminals, but finds many intersections between his training in the Army and the work he does today.Photo by John DeFiora Photography
Switching gears from the military culture to a civilian sector can be daunting, but Hallowell sees a lot of positives in the process. For example, younger veterans interested in travel and adventure should consider a company with a vast footing, like APM Terminals, because of its multiple locations.
“If you’re fresh out of college and want to work in California or Bahrain or anywhere in the world, you can transfer,” he said.
He also recommends researching a workplace’s culture to see if it is a good fit for candidates with military experience, then highlight that veteran status on a cover letter and resume.
His work in the infantry might not be an obvious translation to management, but if a veteran looks close enough at their history, they may find bullet points like leading a platoon of “X” number of soldiers, overseeing weaponry worth “X” amount of dollars or transporting a convoy across “X” number of miles in a high-pressure situation.
In Hallowell’s position, he manages 350 acres of facilities in Elizabeth, New Jersey, ranging from repairing a fence to managing bids to designing new parking lots and more. He also sees other military jobs as a natural crossover to his industry, such as maintenance, logistics, finance and cybersecurity.
Even though his official military status is now retired, he is conscious of the fact that the Army supplied him with certain skills that make him proficient in day to day life — including one skill that transcends every industry and personal or professional life.
“It literally is establishing, maintaining and building relationships, whether it be teamwork, whether it be union management — without buy in you’re not going to be successful and how do you get that?” Hallowell said. “There are just some things that I find come second nature, whether it be multitasking or attention to detail or how to organize my thoughts, that all came from the military. In Iraq, I was the
operations officer so we had 600plus soldiers and my staff planned their day 24 (hours), 365 (days) — over 700 missions done in a year and we planned every one.”
And as valuable as those attributes are that a veteran brings to a civilian employer, Hallowell stresses adapting to life after the transition isn’t always easy.
“So, you’re going to have a gunnery sergeant who has a ton of experience, a ton of success and he’s going to go to a financial institution to be a middle manager, whose boss will be half his age. So, it seems to me, once employed, veterans have a wash-out rate because of that frustration. There needs to be an outlet in that company to coach them through that,” he explained.
Hallowell reiterates that by researching and networking with veteran-friendly companies, transitioning service members are more likely to feel like their new workplace’s culture is a fit for them.
Thomas Hallowell has a straight line of site to New York’s changed skyline, which also serves as a reminder of how much his own life changed from the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by John
Visit APM Terminals to search for current career openings. Hallowell retired his uniform earlier this year after more than 33 years of service. Photo by John DeFiora Photographyhealthcare and burial benefits. Hope notes VSOs also are familiar with state and local veteran benefit programs.
“If the DAV doesn’t have a program for something and the county veterans service office does, we can refer them back and forth,” Hope points out. “There’s a lot of collaboration and networking in the veteran community. That’s why it’s important to work with someone who knows all those points of contact.”
In addition, the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act, which went effect this year, replaced a claims appeal process that had been in place for decades with new forms and procedures.
“The VA doesn’t do a great job when you do it wrong of telling you how you were supposed to do it right,” Hope maintains. “Knowing the up-todate processes and being able to guide this specific veteran for a specific claim process is what we do.”
Why should you use a Veteran Service Officer when filing your VA benefit claims? Quite simply because the claims process can be a bureaucratic nightmare.
And their services are free.
VSOs help veterans and their family members write and submit claims to the VA, providing them with a wealth of insider knowledge of the claims process. Accredited representatives and VSOs must pass an exam, pass a background check and take ongoing continuing education before they legally can represent a service member, veteran, dependent or survivor.
Numerous organizations such as the American Legion, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans
of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Vietnam Veterans of America have service officers, as do state Veterans Affairs Offices.
“A VSO is familiar with all the different benefits the VA offers,” DAV Deputy National Service Director for Training Scott Hope states. “We’re talking about compensation, pension, the Home Loan Guarantee program, the GI Bill, ChampVA, dependent benefits, employment and education benefits All the programs that encompass this huge VA, VSOs are familiar with all of them.”
Because of their broad knowledge of compensation and benefits programs, Hope says service officers help ensure veterans are aware of all benefits tied to their specific disability rating such as vocational rehabilitation and employment, education, home loan,
While the VA website estimates claims should be processed within three to four months, times varying based on the number of conditions claimed. When frustrations occur during the lengthy process, Hope believes VSOs typically exhibit “a lot more patience and compassion” because they typically are veterans who have been through the gauntlet themselves.
“There’s that bond when they sit down and talk,” Hope says. “A VSO is a lot more sympathetic.”
When Navy veteran Myrna Therrien separated from the Navy in 2001, she didn’t realize she could file a disability claim, but she did make sure injuries and conditions she had sustained in the service were documented in her medical record. That decision proved critical.
“Some people are in a rush to get out
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua Maillard, Virgin Islands National Guard, meets with a representative of the Disabled American Veterans organization during a veterans’ benefit and information and claims clinic at the Estate Bethlehem Military Compound on St. Croix. Photo by Sgt. Juanita Philip.and they do everything really quick,” Therrien said. “But that [information] is key because when you go to the VA they are going to make sure it is documented during your physical if it is not documented anywhere else.”
Six years later, when Therrien was working in medical billing for the VA Honolulu Regional Office, she became hobbled by a lingering leg injury that dated to her time in the Navy. A VA benefits officer encouraged her to file a disability claim. She turned to the American Legion for additional assistance with her claims.
1. Attend your claim exam.
2. Unless it is an emergency, don’t reschedule an exam the day before or the day of an exam.
3. Make sure your nearest VA regional office and VA medical center have your current address, phone number and email information.
4. Call the VA to confirm your exam time and location.
5. Submit all your medical evidence by uploading it, faxing or mailing it to your VA regional office before you go to your exam.
6. Be prepared to attend multiple claim exams if you’re claiming more than one disability.
7. Arrive at your appointment 15 minutes early. If you are late, you may not be able to be seen.
8. The VA claim exam is a medical review of your claimed disabilities, not a treatment exam, so the examiner may need only to speak to you.
9. Answer exam questions honestly. Don’t exaggerate – or downplay – symptoms.
10. Examiners do not make rating decisions. For claim status updates, check online at eBenefits or contact the national call center at 1-800-8271000 or your VA regional office.
“The VSO knew all the ins and outs,” Therrien said. “Once he knew I wasn’t just trying to use the system, I really did have something going on that was serious, they will give 110% of their time. The VSO did all the paperwork. I gave him all my evidence and a couple days later it was written up and I just needed to sign it.”
While working with a VSO can smooth the claims process, Hope
points out veterans must take responsibility for tracking their claims on eBenefits and reading all VA correspondence, which may contain requests for information or evidence that can derail your application if overlooked. Service members on active duty who want to jump start the claims process can connect with Transition Assistance Officers who provides benefits counseling and assistance at many military bases.
This time was different. As a career airman, I’ve amassed a ton of time away from home but in the past, my wife and I were much more cavalier about my trips and we never imagined that, one day, a return home for me would be such an important and transformational occasion. Now I am a dad, and the stakes were raised for my recent return home from a deployment. I am excited to share how my wife and I navigated my return home because, now being two months removed, it appears we did it well and enjoyed a successful transition as a family.
Use the resources made available to you. Each wing in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve has an Airman and Family Readiness Program whose mission it is to support you and your family. Army units have similar programs. My wing is fortunate to have Kelly Williamson, a licensed master social worker, directing our program.
“The program provides deployment cycle support through briefings, Yellow Ribbon Events, newsletters, resource and information referral,
Technical Sgt. Matthew Annis, 104th Civil Engineering Squadron firefighter, is welcomed home from deploymet at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The Air National Guard plays an important role in deployed missions and domestic operations. Photo by Airman 1st Class Sara Kolinski.
and social events,” she said.
Kelly gave other airmen and me great tools for success prior to departing and gave us hope that everything will be OK throughout the process.
Consider your transition home as an event in its own right. It’s an event that needs planning, and preparation. I’m sure there was a healthy amount of planning prior to heading out the door for your TDY or deployment so try to give your return home the same time and energy.
Don’t assume everything will work itself out and fall into place. With yourself, and then with your loved ones, begin to envision what your return looks and feels like. Ask yourself, what are your priorities, what are your needs, what are the needs of the people closest to you? As you plan, remember that the people you’ve left behind to fend for themselves deserve to have their desires heard as well. Through honest communication, my wife and I were able to create a plan for my transition that focused on our collective needs as a family but also our individual needs as husband and wife.
Take it slow once you are home. Getting prepared for my return home was a big focus of mine in the weeks prior to the end of my deployment and during that time I kept focusing on the words of my deployed squadron commander. Her consistent advice to her troops was to take it slow when we got back home. She meant to do that both
physically and emotionally.
Physically taking it slow means not planning any events or travel for at least the first few days after getting home. You should get your feet firmly back on familiar ground before you venture off to another place or join a frenetic event. My wife and I were certain to plan a family vacation so she, the kids and I could create some wonderful fun memories but we were careful to plan the vacation for two weeks after I returned home. Also, try your best to avoid the pull to accomplish your entire to-do list in the first few days as well. Yes, there will be tasks to complete but I can assure you, none of them are as important as spending valuable peaceful time with your loved ones.
Emotionally taking it slow means to engage with your loved ones in a deliberately understanding way. You’ve hopefully spent considerable time preparing emotionally for your return home but it may not be the case that your loved ones were able to do that same prep work. It may sound crazy because you’ve just returned from a long period of absence but try to grant your loved ones some time and space to reacquaint themselves to your reemergence back into their daily lives. You might find yourself asking for the same time and space if someone close to you is coming on strong. Just know that it’s OK to ease into your relationships once again. Pretend as if you are using the steps getting into a pool as opposed to jumping in like a cannon ball making waves.
My return home wasn’t without some minor hiccups but I feel it was successful and even transformational. My wife and I used resources, planned my return home in advance, and took it slow once I did get home.
Despite challenges and struggles, the deployment is an opportunity to strengthen the family unit. Family members and deployers alike often grow in love, communication, and appreciation for each other following a deployment,” Williamson added.
Don’t knock it until you try it.
Montana Army National Guard
2nd Lt. James Rolin was pretty skeptical when his wife, Kathy Rolin, proposed a business idea built off edible insects. Like any good husband, he went along with it. Three years later, he has become a believer, happily sharing the many sustainable living benefits offered by Cowboy Cricket Farms.
Kathy and James Rolin are among a growing trend of veterans choosing entrepreneurship , with the Small Business Administration reporting 9.1% of all U.S. firms being veteranowned. Kathy Rolin, who served in the Coast Guard, came up with the concept of Cowboy Cricket Farms
as a nutrition student. She decided to recruit James Rolin, an ordnance officer, to be the marketing manager and network coordinator. The only thing left was to figure out how to get American consumers to expand their palate.
Cue the Chocolate Chirp Cookie.
The couple had started businesses before “with varying degrees of success,” James Rolin said, but nothing quite like the concept of Cowboy Cricket Farms.
“I’ve never eaten an insect before, so when she brought this idea to me, I thought, ‘well, this [business idea] is ridiculous.’ There’s only two reasons why Americans eat insects: number
one, you’re vacationing in Thailand or number two, you’re in the military and going through SERE school. That’s it,” James Rolin said. “But of course, that was a very ignorant way of thinking about it, and as usual she was right and I was wrong, and a couple of years later, it’s hopping right along. We’re still growing, we still have struggles — very much — every day. We need more sales; we need something, but it is pretty amazing to look back at just how much it’s grown over the last two-and-a-half-years.”
Cowboy Cricket Farms sells a variety of products using different flavors, like wasabi, tropical and cinnamon. The owners are also mindful of how they talk about the company to those customers experimenting with a more “ethical” type of protein for the first time.
“What we found is, if you give someone a whole roasted cricket, they probably won’t eat it. If you give them the powder, they really don’t know what to do with it. But if you give them a delicious chocolate chip cookie, which is made with the cricket powder, then it suddenly all makes sense — it’s just an ingredient and it has extra nutrition in it,” he said.
They solicit constant feedback from their customers as part of a larger strategy to develop long-term relationships, and in some cases the input drives new product ideas.
The couple has also found business value in connecting with other entrepreneurs through organizations like Patriot Boot Camp , a nonprofit providing active-duty service members, veterans and their spouses with access to mentors and educational programming. James Rolin says it provides a completely different experience than other networking opportunities.
“With Patriot Boot Camp, the single biggest thing is that camaraderie of veteran entrepreneurs. There’s so many things I go to with entrepreneurship, but you can’t quite pack the same around Silicon Valley startups as you can a bunch of Army guys,” he said. “There’s just a different culture and it makes us a lot more comfortable.”
Jen Pilcher, PBC’s CEO, says the organization’s core program targets those veterans and military spouses at the early stage of their business. She recommends entrepreneurs look at the viability of their business, which is exactly what the three-day boot camp does using a community of experts and peers.
“We have 200,000 people transitioning out of the service every year and right there you have this group not too sure what to do, so they kind of fall into those three buckets of education, employment or entrepreneurship. I think a lot of people are very intrigued — so they’re exploring entrepreneurship at that stage — and that’s where Patriot Boot Camp comes in. We take a lot of people with ideation, so they have an idea but they’re not really sure if this is what they want to do,” Pilcher said.
Other common characteristics of businesses who attend the boot camp:
• Pre-revenue or just starting to get revenue
• One-to-three team members
• Ideation up to two years in business
• First entrepreneurial training
Attendees are connected with subject matter experts across various industries. Pilcher says this is the time to be “vulnerable.”
“If you have these 25 minutes to talk to the expert, don’t spend 25 minutes talking about your company. Come prepared with your questions and say, ‘this is where I’m struggling.’ Be vulnerable,” she said.
Both James and Kathy Rolin have each attended several of the Patriot Boot Camp events, and James Rolin echoes the sentiment that entrepreneurs need to be open to
help and criticism.
“Think about your pride and then get rid of it because if you are pretty much prideful — I’m not saying don’t be proud of your work — but, you need to ask for help. When we started accepting help, things opened up a lot faster. Make sure that what you have is an actual business. That is something that is difficult to answer because people get so passionate … if you like it, it doesn’t mean anyone else is going to like it. You have to be analytical and see if there is a market for the business and test that market, if possible,” he said.
William Hansult Sr. kept secrets from his wife and children for nearly 60 years. He wasn’t the only one. The secrets of war run deep among the brotherhood of soldiers who served in the famed 42nd Rainbow Division during World War II. His son, William Hansult Jr., vowed to share his father’s war stories to honor all Rainbow soldiers, including those still serving in the division.
In 2003, Hansult Jr. traveled to Germany and Austria with his elderly parents, Hansult Sr. and Rosemary. Many of the cities and towns the family visited together during the trip, a young Hansult Sr. had seen years prior as a Rainbow soldier.
“My dad was standing on bridges and walking through towns where he’d been as an 18-year-old kid,” Hansult Jr. said. “He’d lived a lifetime in between, but the trip brought him full circle.”
The trip with his parents sparked Hansult Jr.’s curiosity to learn more about his father’s service. A lawyer by profession, he spent the next 10 years researching his father’s service and the Rainbow Division by reading unpublished declassified action reports, diaries and recorded histories written by men his father served with, together with many other published historical resources.
“I started putting the pieces of my dad’s service together,” he said. “Then
I realized I needed to really talk to my dad. I needed to hear his stories.”
Hansult Jr. shared his research with his father and his father responded by sharing his experiences as a soldier.
In 1944, Hansult Sr. had just graduated high school when he joined the Army and took a train to Florida for boot camp. A kid from Farmingdale, New York, Hansult Sr. had never been away from home or shot a gun. Yet, he was a replacement soldier assigned to the 42nd Rainbow Division’s 232nd Regiment, 2nd Battalion, E Company.
“Dad replaced a soldier who didn’t make it,” Hansult Jr. explained. “He was a teenager, and like a lot of American boys, he suddenly found himself in European cities he’d never heard of before.”
Hansult Sr. fought bravely. He was awarded a Bronze Star and the prestigious Combat Infantry Badge for his actions. Then, on April 29, 1945, Hansult Sr. and his fellow Rainbow soldiers liberated one of Hitler’s most famous concentration camps, Dachau.
“He saw things and endured things that I can’t even imagine. But, having had a near death experience myself, I slightly understood when my father spoke about moments where he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it and the feelings that come with that,” said Hansult Jr., who survived a plane crash in 2006.
To complicate war further, Hansult Sr. didn’t know at the time he had family remaining in Germany, including uncles and cousins, serving in the German army, the Hitler Youth, and one uncle was a highranking official in the Nazi party.
“My father endured a lot during his war experience but it was different for him because, although he didn’t know it then, he was fighting relatives he’d never met,” he said. “It wasn’t until years later he learned of them and connected with them.”
In 2014, shortly before his father passed away at the age of 87, Hansult Jr. started pairing his years of research with his father’s stories to create “The Final Battle: An Untold Story of WWII’s Forty-Second Rainbow Division”, a book honoring his father, but also the accomplishments of all the men who served in the Rainbow.
“I wrote this book for all of them,” Hansult Jr. said. “I wrote it for my dad. But, I also wrote it for Rainbow families and those still serving in the Rainbow. They should all know the division’s history. They should know the stories of the soldiers. My dad’s stories are all of their stories.”
Suellen McDaniel, daughter of a career soldier who served in WWII as a member of the Rainbow Division’s HQ Company, 1st Battalion, 242nd Infantry Regiment, is one of those Rainbow families. An active member
of the Rainbow Division Veterans Memorial Foundation, McDaniel often encounters veterans and their families. She is the longtime secretary of the Millennium Legacy Association of the 42nd Infantry Rainbow Division, which focuses on surviving family members of Rainbow soldiers.
“Children are always affected by the actions of their parents whether spoken or unspoken,” McDaniel said. “Often when I’ve been asked by families for history of the 42nd, it has been to understand the events that made the veteran the person he was to his family. ‘Now I understand….’ has been an often-heard response to the personal stories shared with seeking descendants.”
Melanie Remple’s great uncle, Ferdinand “Fernie” Framstad, served in the Rainbow Division’s 222nd Infantry Regiment, K Company. A career soldier, Framstad enlisted into the Army in 1938. He served in Hawaii, in the Canal Zone (Panama Canal) and at Fort Worden in the state of Washington prior to being sent to Camp Gruber in Oklahoma to join the Rainbow Division. Remple, a former board member of the RDVMF and president of the Millennium Legacy Association, forged many friendships with Rainbow veterans.
“Those who didn’t speak of the war, or those who only spoke very generally of their experiences, probably had never really fully processed the events. The events were so traumatic that they just couldn’t live through it again — PTSD that was never acknowledged or treated,” Remple said. “There was so much death as they made their way from France into Germany until VE day.”
Editor of the RDVMF REVEILLE newsletter, McDaniel reiterates the division’s motto: “Never forget.” With so many soldiers passing away at a rapid rate due to age, she knows
Hansult Jr.’s book is an important recording of the division’s history for generations to come.
“Interwoven through the many personal stories of WWII men of the Rainbow Division, he included his beautifully expressed and successful search for a deeper relationship with his father in understanding his untold experiences as a young soldier at war,” McDaniel said.
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There is no shortage of support for the military community with over 45,000 organizations focused on this demographic. And some ideas are just that good that they have staying power, like Toys for Tots which was established in 1947 by Marine Corps Reserve Maj. Bill Hendricks. Now, almost 75 years later, the organization distributes an average of 18 million toys to seven million children each year.
How has it lasted for almost 75 years? Some of the success of Toys for Tots can be attributed to their corporate sponsors, which include Sears, Hallmark, and Walt Disney. They also have planned giving and employer gift matching for financial contributions. And, they make it really, really hard to say no to a dashing young Marine in uniform standing next to a collection box.
Toys for Tots actually started with an idea from Hendrick’s wife, Diane. She had made some handcrafted dolls and her husband set out to find an organization that would accept them and give them away at Christmas time. Bill Hendricks, whose civilian, full-time job was
as director of public relations at Warner Brothers Studios, couldn’t find anything in his local area. When he came home and told her such, she suggested he start one.
So Hendricks teamed up with some friends, including Walt Disney — who designed the first poster and eventually the image used for the logo — and his reserve unit in Los Angeles. That first year they collected and distributed 5,000 toys.
The next year the commandant directed all reserve sites to implement a Toys for Tots program, and just over 40 years later, in 1991 the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was officially recognized as a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit charity.
The foundation’s job is to help support individual Marine Reserve sites run their programs. The management of all the funds raised, corporate supporters, public education, and handle all the dayto-day operations are handled by the foundation.
Occasionally, active-duty Marines play a role in their local Toys for Tots program too. When Matthew Okonsky was stationed in Michigan in the early 2000s, he worked with the program.
A Marine reservist interacts with kids at a Toys for Tots event in 2018. Photo by Trish Alegre-Smith.“It’s the reserve’s program to run. The only reason I was involved as active duty is because I was on I&I duty (inspector instructor). Selfridge Air National Guard Base is just north of Detroit and our area covered the Detroit area at large,” he said.
Okonsky was also a member of the Marine Corps Reserve in western Pennsylvania, where he also participated in Toys for Tots.
The beauty of Toys for Tots is that the success is based on the local community. From one side of the country to another, local organizations are the backbone that supports the distribution of toys in their community.
In Orange County, California, that looks like 162,572 toys collected in 2018, supporting 81,286 children.
“This year the goal is 170,000 toys collected this year,” said Marine Sgt Brian Moran, who is in his second year of managing the program locally.
Moran spends most of his year working in supply administration and logistics, and then in midSeptember moves into his role with Toys for Tots.
“I’m the middleman between the community and the donors who help us with cash, toys, or gift cards for distribution,” he said.
He starts with marketing to local companies in September and then once the season kicks off on October 1st, Moran coordinates the box drop-offs and collections.
Across the country, near the growing installation of Fort Gordon, Georgia, is a smaller, but just as effective campaign.
“Last year the Central Savannah River Area Toys for Tots serviced 41,107 children,” local coordinator Ann Woods said. “This year we plan to double that.”
The CSRA Toys for Tots has over 750 boxes throughout the area, at places like grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, and businesses. Some of their larger supporters are business, like Plant Vogel and local churches such as Abilene Baptist Church.
Local support is how all Toys for Tots programs gain success. To find your local coordinator for donation and volunteer opportunities, visit https://www.toysfortots.org/ request_toys/Default.aspx .
“Giving any thing you can—in any way that you can—is a huge benefit to the program. The impact each donation makes, whether big or small, brings a huge smile to a child’s face,” Moran said.
Negotiating a salary is a key part of the employment process that isn’t always discussed. For most people, talking about money, and specifically, asking for more, can feel intimidating, but it is important to know that compensation is how a company reinforces your value. Check out these four tips that will help you view this financial conversation as more of a dance and less of a disaster.
Whenever an applicant heads into a salary negotiation, there are three numbers to focus on: the industry average, the value you bring, and your bottom line.
Industry average: It’s important to have an understanding of what professionals in your field are being paid so that you can form a factbased argument of what you deserve. Do your homework with resources, like Glassdoor, that factor in job title, location, years of experience and additional skillsets. Source others in your professional network, such as LinkedIn, to find out what you can expect or browse different job postings to see salary ranges.
Your worth: Are you just starting out or have you been in your field for a significant amount of time? Your “magic number” should accurately reflect your demonstrated abilities as well as the nature of the job.
Your threshold: Of equal importance is knowing what you want, while determining what number you can’t or aren’t willing to dip below. For example, if you have to make $30/ hour to pay for childcare and still make a profit, then don’t accept less than that; you’ll resent the employer before you even complete new employee orientation.
Whether we like it or not, the party that discloses a number first is the one setting the starting point. Ideally, you don’t want this to be you. While it seems counterintuitive – you want the ball in your court – by telling them what you’re currently making or what you want to make, you might actually be lowballing yourself.
Think about it.
If a company is prepared to pay a candidate up to $75,000/year and they’re going to offer you $60,000/ year, but you say you have to make $50,000, you might even walk away with an offer for less than what they were prepared to pay you. When asked what you’re currently making or desired salary, flip the script and ask what someone of your value and experience would be worth to the company. The sooner you get a starting point from them, the sooner you can start negotiations.
A great technique for salary negotiation is the term “I get.” Any time you can leverage work you’ve done and what you’ve been paid to get a higher rate is a good thing (so long as you’re not starting with the number). This is particularly helpful when the company has offered you less than what you can take.
For example, if a company offers you $50/hour to manage a project, try countering with, “I typically get $100/ hour for a project of that scope. Do you have room in your budget to meet that number?” All it takes is one project at that rate for you to be able to say that’s what you’ve been compensated. Highlighting that someone else has been willing to pay you that figure showcases both worth and experience.
So you’ve said you need $100/hour and they’ve come back with $60/hour and “they absolutely can’t do more.”
This isn’t the end quite yet.
This is where you look for perks, accommodations, incentives, bonus opportunities and benefits. Based on the nature of the work, there might be some hidden opportunities that could be priceless to you. A few extra paid days off each year? A work from home day each week? A flexible schedule? If you can make it work for $60/hour, then you’re sitting in the driver’s seat now. Go for it.
The art of salary negotiation doesn’t need to be intimidating. Approach the conversation armed with your numbers and the knowledge that you have the skill to do this dance. We know you’re worth it. Now it’s time you know it, too.
of wireless service to help make telehealth services more accessible to veterans. The VAN regularly host community events around the country, partnering with Team Rubicon to connect veterans with volunteer opportunities and FourBlock to assist with post-service job transition.
Though I’m not a military veteran, I am a proud ally, and being the co-sponsor for T-Mobile’s Veterans & Allies Network has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I’ve had the opportunity to stand side by side with our more than 7,000 T-Mobile employees who are involved with VAN — folks who, like me, care deeply about our brave military members and the issues that impact them.
Participating in VAN has been an eye-opening experience, allowing me to understand the true meaning of sacrifice. For millions of active and veteran soldiers — including the thousands who work at T-Mobile — sacrifice is a defining characteristic of their lives. It means putting duty, responsibility and community before individual needs. It means exposing themselves to risk and danger for the common good.
It means spending months or even years far away from family. It means being a servant leader. Which is why it makes sense that so many of T-Mobile’s military employees work the frontlines of Customer Care and Retail – they want to take care of others!
These are the reasons T-Mobile continues to do everything we can to support this group of heroes as both our employees and our customers. And we’ve been designated a military-friendly company because we take this responsibility seriously. Here’s how.
Because 50% of veterans will experience unemployment within 15 months after their service , T-Mobile has pledged to hire 10,000 military veterans and their spouses by 2023. We partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide 70,000 lines
When it comes to our military customers, T-Mobile launched special rates for soldiers, veterans and their families called the Magenta Military and Magenta Plus Military plans, which offer the biggest discount in wireless for military families. The first line of Magenta Military is 20% off our popular Magenta rate plan and half off up to five additional voice lines; plus, taxes and fees are included. Magenta Military comes with all the incredible value of our Magenta plan, plus our industryleading travel benefits that help keep families connected at home and abroad.
And last year the Un-carrier announced it would invest more than $500 million in 2018 alone to expand LTE coverage and capacity, and lay the foundation for 5G in communities around U.S. military bases.
My time alongside my military colleagues has helped me understand their lives a little better. I can tell you that taking their example of selfless service to heart makes me a better person — just like it makes T-Mobile a better company. We strive to serve our customers with the same selflessness our military teammates serve our country with, and we strive to serve our employees with the same trust in teamwork that makes the U.S. Armed Forces such a tightly run ship. It’s a lot to live up to, but we believe it’s right. And just like our military friends, we won’t settle for anything less.
Operation Patriot Press is an extensive campaign to utilize Army National Guard and Army Reserve sustainment units to support Army Materiel Command major subordinate commands through real-world missions. Maj. Gen. Allen Harrell, assistant deputy commanding general for National Guard Affairs, U.S. Army Materiel Command, took the lead in order to improve overall Army readiness and sustainment readiness across the reserve component.
The exercise kicked off earlier this year with roughly 425 personnel from Tennessee Army National Guard taking the planning and command role for Task Force Apollo. The mission objective was to move and store nitroguanidine — a substance used in propellants — from Milan Army Ammunition Plant to the Anniston Munitions Center while conducting companylevel external evaluations.
Master Sgt. Lee Brock was the lead planner with preparation beginning in mid-2018 until the exercise started in May. He says the units were able to coordinate operations to complete the training within cost parameters of an annual training budget while achieving “an actual mission set.”
“To make this more funding friendly and get more bang for our buck, we were able to get all the units in line with their annual training events and keep the cost below a million dollars,” he said.
A typical day included briefs, truck inspections, and load certifications with convoys leaving in succession starting at 0600 and arriving at Anniston at 1430. The Guard units worked with specialized ammo handlers from the reserves.
“It was almost a total force integration-kind-of-operation. We had units not only from Mississippi, Alabama, but from New York City, Puerto Rico, and obviously our state (Tennessee),” he said. “We brought all of these players to the state of Tennessee basically three times within the year of planning to meet and plan.”
Brock says it provided the rare opportunity to conduct an external evaluation.
“What we were able to accomplish in this was not only getting tasked by the Army Materiel Command to do an actual mission that supports the government by moving ammunition from point A to point B, but we were able to do everything within an annual training budget
and still give these people an external evaluation in their ready years, which is really hard to do in the National Guard and reserve world,” Brock said.
Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Vannoy, 432nd Transportation Company, commented on how professional the trainers and observer/controllers approached the event.
“Training was realistic, never had a no for any request from the unit. Smoke, blank ammo for all units. Far exceeded expectations to keep the training great for the unit,” he said.
The 1103rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion from Alabama Army National Guard supported training by utilizing their two Transportation Companies, signal assets and medical support. The units transported over 160 containers from the origination point to the destination in order to facilitate the munitions movement.
“Participating in missions such as Patriot Press allow soldiers to train on their individual MOS while conducting a real world mission. These types of missions will increase unit readiness and retention efforts. I recommend continuation of reserve component units supporting these type of US Army Materiel
Bacchus Pvt. Veronica Rodriguez stores munitions in an Anniston Munitions Center igloo. The 266th Ordnance Company out of Puerto Rico transports and stores munitions in the Anniston Munitions Center’s igloos at Anniston Army Depot as part of Patriot Bandoleer 2019, a training mission enhancing the readiness of Army forces by pairing Reserve Component units with munitions centers which can utilize their transportation and ordnance experience.Command lines of effort,” Lt. Col. Joel Traweek, 1103rd CSSB Commander, said.
The 230th Sustainment Brigade utilized the 266th Ordnance Company and 390th Seaport Company, both from Puerto Rico, to pack the munitions into containers and load them on trailers. By placing these soldiers at the depots, they were able to gain knowledge of operations not discussed in their training schools.
“This is my first annual training, so now I have a visual of how things move on a depot or at an ammunition storage area. It’s a good training experience that will help us be more proficient in the future,” 2nd Lt. Eduardo Santiago-Colon said.
Soldiers also gained experience in navigating real-life convoy operations, First Sergeant James Selph of the 1052nd Transportation Company says, with it being a “great environment to learn how to adapt and overcome challenges. This operation allowed junior soldiers to carry loads that most new drivers in the military would otherwise not be able to carry.”
Mission opportunities are currently being coordinated for ARNG and USAR sustainment units through 2024. For more information concerning NG and USAR FY 20/24 training opportunities, contact the RC MSO, Headquarters, U.S. AMC, 4400 Martin Road, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898, COM: 256-4506994, DSN: 320-6994 or usarmy. redstone.usamc.list.amc-rc-missionsupport@mail.mil .
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Pfc. Douglas Mercado from the 266th Ordnance Company out of Puerto Rico ties down pallets being transported to Anniston Munitions Center igloos as part of Patriot Bandoleer 2019. Patriot Bandoleer 2019 is a training mission enhancing the readiness of Army forces by pairing Reserve Component units with munitions centers which can utilize their transportation and ordnance experience. Photo by Jennifer Bacchus.Army Reserve Capt. Jessica Purcell has been fighting breast cancer since being diagnosed when she was pregnant with her son, Jameson. The mom of two, who works as an Air Force Civilian employee at U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, says she refuses to be defined by the diagnosis that changed the course of her life.
“Cancer is an obstacle in my life but it will not define who I am as a person,” she said. “I don’t ever want my kids to think I gave up. I will fight with all my heart and every ounce of my soul. No amount of pain will ever stop me. I’m a mama on a mission.”
And that mission has multiple goals: to survive cancer and inspire other women while she does it.
“At the end of the day I was chosen for this journey because I’m strong enough to handle it,” she said. “This isn’t about me. It’s about the greater good. It’s about other mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters — just like me. If I can get through my days, other mothers struggling with
cancer — or anything — will, too.”
In 2017, Purcell was pregnant with her first child, a daughter named Josephine, when she felt discomfort with a lymph node in her underarm. Her doctor dismissed it as being hormones or pregnancy-related.
“I thought something might be off, but as a first-time mom I trusted the doctor over my instincts,” Purcell said. “I should’ve followed my gut.”
Consumed with a newborn, Purcell didn’t think about the issue with the lymph node until April 2018
when, while weaning Josephine from breastfeeding, she felt a new lump in her breast. An eventual mammogram was scheduled and then cancelled when she learned she was pregnant with her son. At an eight-week prenatal check-up for her son, her doctor agreed Purcell needed an ultrasound that in turn led to the biopsy of the lump.
“The doctor kept telling me I was probably fine and it was probably just a cyst; the tests were really just precautions. I was an otherwise healthy 35-year-old pregnant woman. Cancer couldn’t happen to
Purcell at her Florida home with baby Jameson. Photo by Shannon Livingston.But on August 24, 2018, Purcell’s life was rocked.
“I remember the doctor rolled over to me on one of those metal stools and her knees practically touched mine. Time stood still,” she said.
Purcell, mother to then 13-month old Josephine and nine-weeks pregnant with her son, learned the lump in her breast was invasive ductal carcinoma, one of the most common types of breast cancer.
“You hear cancer and — I didn’t want to die,” she said. “And I was terrified for my unborn child.”
Purcell went into warrior mode.
She underwent a left radical mastectomy and a complete axillary lymph node dissection, which removed the lymph nodes under her left arm. At 20-weeks pregnant, Purcell started chemotherapy. She completed 12 rounds, which included injections to stimulate her bone marrow, all while her son developed in her womb.
“The whole time, I was not concerned for myself but for my daughter and my unborn son. There’s no backing down from
cancer. I had to be aggressive,” she said.
“I constantly had to advocate for myself because it wasn’t just for me — it was for my son, too.”
This past March, Purcell delivered a healthy boy via cesarean section. She named him Jameson in honor of her late grandfather, James, who passed away from cancer when she was 10.
“I remember holding Jameson and looking at him — just in awe. He was perfect. He’d been through every test, injection, surgery, and treatment with me. He’s my little miracle,” she said.
While Purcell gave birth to Jameson, doctors removed her left ovary and fallopian tubes after they noticed a tumor on her ovary. The pathology showed that this ovarian tumor was benign. Four months after Jameson’s arrival, as she navigated being a mom to two children under the age of two, Purcell completed a six-and-a-halfweek course of radiation therapy.
Purcell’s journey with cancer isn’t over yet. On July 11, the day after she completed her last day of radiation, Purcell had a liver biopsy for lesions highly suspicious for metastasis. A few days later, she learned the cancer had metastasized to her liver, leaving her with a new diagnosis of Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. The news was devastating but didn’t debilitate her spirit.
“I’m refusing to accept this diagnosis as a death sentence,” she said. “I will be here for my family. I’m fighting and being aggressive. God’s got this!”
Purcell is navigating her treatment plan, which may include a liver ablation — a procedure that will insert a rod into her liver near the lesions and blast the area with microwaves, along with monthly hormonal injections to shut down her remaining ovary. She may also be given more systemic therapy: possibly an aromatase inhibitor to reduce production of estrogen alongside a chemotherapy pill daily for the rest of her life. She’s getting a second opinion.
“I want to discuss my options, explore immunotherapy and other ways to suppress hormones since my cancer is fueled by hormones,” she said.
Purcell, her signature long hair now short as a reminder of all she has overcome, is ready for her next battle — not only for her own survival but to give a voice to other women like her.
“I represent a small community of women. I’m telling my story — I’m the voice — for all of us. I’m on a mission to bring awareness — healthy women can get cancer while pregnant and still have a healthy baby. This is my story but it’s not about me. It’s a story that could easily be any woman’s story.”
Purcell reads a book with daughter Josephine. Photo by Shannon Livingston.An Army veteran took the skills he learned in his MOS to build a successful civilian career in trucking — and he was recently recognized for all-star status.
Edward R. Carley III, a driver for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s West Coast Distribution Center, was selected as a 2019 National Private Truck Council National Driver AllStar. The annual award recognizes private fleet drivers who exhibit an exceptional commitment to safety, compliance and customer service. The Exchange, the Department of Defense’s largest retailer, operates the 12th largest private retail fleet in the U.S. and employs roughly 4,000 veterans.
Carley, who has 40 years behind the wheel, pursued a childhood dream of becoming a truck driver when he enlisted in the Army at 18 years old. He served more than 11 years across all Army components driving tractor-trailers and transporting heaving equipment. After leaving active duty, he continued his career with the National Guard, then as a civilian. He says the military gave him the foundational skills to be successful out of uniform.
“The Army taught me the need to be alert and always aware of your surroundings. With trucking, anything can happen on the road, and every day is different, so you always need to be alert and aware,” he stated in an email response.
The Sacramento, California-native began his Exchange career in 1996 after moving near Fort Gillem, Georgia. He says the position provided an outlet to stay connected
to the military community.
“When I’m making my deliveries, I’m around the soldiers and am able to talk with them a bit. I let them know I’m a proud veteran. I’m proud to have served and to serve them now,” Carley said.
He was also attracted to the independent-nature of the job, which he said is a perfect fit because he doesn’t require much direction. And it allows him to be home on a daily basis.
“I get up early — my run starts around either 1, 2, 4 or 7 a.m. I go to the terminal to get my truck, which is pre-assigned. I get my load and deliver to the Exchanges on military installations. I deliver to Exchanges on Army, Air Force and Coast Guard installations. I have to offload most often by hand, and my days vary from eight hours to as long as 16. This job definitely keeps me in shape. I also like the fact that I’m home every night sleeping in my own bed,” he explained.
Carley’s award tops off a career of exemplary service, including numerous awards for his safe driving from the Exchange and the National Transportation Safety Board.
“I believe it’s because I take my job seriously. I do my part to help the Exchange achieve its mission. I’m efficient and take safety to heart,” he said.
“All-Star drivers like Edward Carley bring experience and prestige to the Exchange’s fleet,” Vallejo said.
“In the last 10 years, the Exchange has had five All-Star drivers — all of whom honor the warfighters we serve with their hard work.”
The Exchange currently employs about 230 truck drivers worldwide. For information on careers with the Department of Defense’s largest retailer, go to https://www.aafes.com/aboutexchange/exchange-careers.
Samaritan’s Purse is an international Christian relief organization dedicated to saving lives and reducing suffering in Jesus’ Name.
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Minneapolis (612)-351-8020
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JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our strength lies in our exclusive focus and singular influence on the worldwide effort to end T1D.
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A most-recent survey of military spouses with an affiliation to the National Guard or reserves compared the current op tempo and quality of life issues, like deployment support and finances, to previous years’ surveys.
55,413
number of survey respondents
35%
have utilized Yellow Ribbon programs
47%
68%
are comfortable with their financial circumstance
of spouses say they are satisfied with the National Guard/Reserve way of life
77%
61% have had a loved one deployed in the last 24 months
of reserve component spouses are employed
* Information obtained from the 2017 Survey of Reserve Component Spouses. The full findings can be found at https://download. militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Surveys/Survey-Reserve-Component-Spouses-2017-Overview-Briefing.pdf.
