2020 RNG JANUARY-FEBRUARY

Contributors

Now is the time

About the Cover

Every January, countless people use this month as a catalyst to chase down some lingering goal that has eluded them. But then there are those individuals, like 1st Lt. Sarah Beard (pictured here), who are playing a long game. She is among a group of athletes vying for a spot on Team USA for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

The Army reservists we interviewed for this issue are assigned to the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, which means they have been training at the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit on Fort Benning, Georgia. Beard, along with fellow soldiers Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft, who is with the 98th Training Division and utilizes the USAMU ranges, and 1st Lt. Amber English all share how getting to Tokyo means a multi-pronged focus on not only their sport, but also PT and diet. The basic principles of how they are attacking what they want to see happen in their lives for 2020 can be applied to any resolution — long after the first month of the year.

And tools are being introduced continuously to help aid warriors and their military family members in the pursuit of improved health (think the ASYMCA free membership), enhanced relationships (think YRRP), and especially expanded education. In fact, you will read about new and ongoing help in that area as Army Guard soldiers now have access to financial assistance that will pay for certifications and credentials [see page 16]. We also included some of the well-known scholarship and grant programs open to the reserve component, including spouses and children.

Whatever you choose to start today can be marked complete by this same time next year if you approach it with the same planning as you do a mission. It’s up to you to make it a priority.

Bianca M. Strzalkowski

Three Army reservists train at Fort Benning, Georgia, for the Olympic trials.

Photo by Michelle Lunato.

Andrea Downing Peck

Emily Marcason-Tolmie

Rebekah Sanderlin

Jessica Evans

Nancy Craker-Yahman

Brothers continue family’s

legacy

by Jessica Evans

service

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Black Hawk crew remembered

By AFM Staff

Three soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard were killed in December when their UH-60 Black Hawk crashed shortly after takeoff during a routine maintenance flight. Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, and Warrant Officer Candidate Kort M. Plantenberg were assigned to Company C, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, based in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

The adjutant general tweeted that the unit is “devastated” by the loss.

“Our Minnesota National Guard family is devastated by the deaths of these soldiers,” Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen, the Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard, said. “Our priority right now is ensuring that our families are taken care of.”

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, age 30

He enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard on Aug. 24, 2007, as an M1 armor crewman. In 2016, he became a warrant officer as a UH-60 Black Hawk aeromedical evacuation pilot. He leaves behind his wife, Kaley, two-year-old daughter, Lydia, and their expected child.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr., age 28

He enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard on June 5, 2009, as a field artillery specialist. In 2013, he became a warrant officer as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot.

Spc. Nicole Cavanaugh gives a final salute to her fallen comrades during a memorial ceremony Dec. 9, 2019 at the North Fort Hood Chapel. Photo by Sgt. Sydney Mariette.

Warrant Officer Candidate Kort M. Plantenberg, age 28

He enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard on Mar. 1, 2016, as an aircraft electrician. He was a member of the Minnesota National Guard biathlon team and competed in the Chief National Guard Bureau Biathlon Championships in 2018. Plantenberg was recently hired as a technician mechanic at the Army Aviation Support Facility #2. He was preparing to start the state warrant officer program in March and then flight school.

His family issued the following statement:

“This is a time of unimaginable loss, sadness and sorrow for our family. Kort was everything to us — a kind, loving son and brother as well as an incredibly dedicated and loyal friend, neighbor, Correctional Officer and Guardsman. It’s impossible to envision life without him.

We are deeply grateful for the tremendous outpouring of love and support from family, friends, the Saint John’s monastic community, and people throughout Central Minnesota and the State.

We ask that during this time of grieving that people respect our need for privacy.

We want to express our sympathies and offer our prayers to the families of the other two Guardsmen who perished in this unfortunate and tragic accident.

We take comfort in our faith, the love of family and friends, and the knowledge that Kort died doing what he loved best: serving his country and pursuing his lifelong dream to be a Black Hawk helicopter pilot.”

All three soldiers recently returned from a ninemonth deployment to the Middle East in May 2019, where they conducted medical evacuations in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve, according to a press release.

Plantenberg starts the Chief National Guard Bureau Biathlon Championship in 2018. Photo by Lt. Col. Steven Fairbourn.

2020 Guide to Military Scholarships

By AFM Staff

If you’ve been tossing around the idea of starting—or finishing—an education, 2020 is a great year to do so. The service branches, private organizations and higher education institutions are offering incentives to military-affiliated students by way of grants, scholarships or tuition discounts. Below are a few we found, but check back on our website because this list will be continuously updated.

A few important notes:

1. Read all criteria early so that you can plan for any time-consuming requirements, like letters of recommendation and transcript requests.

2. Create reminders for deadlines so that you don’t miss important dates.

The latest list of 2020 offerings for those serving in the reserve component and their family members:

Pat Tillman Foundation

Link: https://pattillmanfoundation. org/apply-to-be-a-scholar

Who’s eligible: Veteran and activeduty service members from all branches of the military including National Guard and Reserves who have served in pre- and post-9/11 service areas.

Application period: Feb. 1—28, 2020.

Florida Advisory Council on Military Education

Link: http://www.fla-acme.org/ scholarships

Who’s eligible: Applicants must meet one of the three criteria: reside in Florida; be permanently stationed in Florida as part of either the active duty, guard and reserve component; or enrolled at a Florida institution of higher learning during the application period of the award year (December 15 through March 15).

Application period: Now—Mar. 15, 2020.

Southeastern Council on Military Education (SECOME)

Link: http://www.secome.org/ scholarships

Who’s eligible: Students (active duty, National Guard members, drilling reservists, veterans and their spouses) must be assigned to a military installation and reside in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, or South Carolina.

What’s the basics: The organization will award scholarships ranging from $750-$1500.

Application period: Feb. 1—May 31, 2020.

FOR MILITARY SPOUSES

National Military Family Association

Link: https://scholarships. militaryfamily.org/offers/nmfaspouse-scholarship

Who’s eligible: Spouse to an active duty, reserve, guard, retired, medically retired, wounded or fallen service member (must be a service-related

wound, illness, injury or death that took place after September 11, 2001).

What’s the basics: Awards available for career funding, degrees, clinical supervision towards licensure in the mental health profession, or business expenses.

Deadline: Applications accepted all year.

FOR MILITARY SPOUSES AND DEPENDENTS

ThanksUSA

Link: https://www.thanksusa.org/ scholarship-program.html

Who’s eligible: Be a dependent child, age 24 or under (as of application deadline) of US military service personnel, or the spouse of US military service personnel. US military personnel are defined as those who have served FT for at least 180 days after 9/11/2001, and all those who were seither killed or wounded in action after 9/11/2001. This also includes members of the reserves who have been activated to FT duty and members of the National Guard who have been federalized & who otherwise meet the requirements.

Application period: Mar. 1 – Apr. 15, 2020.

FOR MILITARY KIDS ONLY

Fisher House

Link: https://militaryscholar.org/sfmc

Who’s eligible: The program is open to military children, defined as a student who is eligible for and possesses a U.S. Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card DD Form 1173 that has not expired, and whose parent(s) are serving, or have

served, in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. That includes children of military active duty, reserve/guard, retired, or deceased.

What’s the basics: 500 scholarship grants will be awarded for $2000.

Application period: Now until Feb. 24, 2020.

BRANCH AID SOCIETIES

Each service branch has an equivalent branch aid society that supports service members and their families through various programs – including education assistance.

Air Force Aid Society

Link: https://www.afas.org/howwe-help/general-henry-h-arnoldeducation-grant

Who’s eligible: Spouses of active duty and Title 10 Reservists, and widows.

What’s the basics: Needs-based grant ranging from $500 – $4000.

Opens: Jan. 2, 2020.

Army Emergency Relief

Link: https://www.aerhq.org/Applyfor-Scholarship

Who’s eligible: Spouses of National Guard/Reserve Soldiers on Title 10 Orders are eligible, in addition to those spouses of an active duty or retired soldier or the widow of a soldier who died while on active duty or while retired.

What’s the basics: Need-based scholarship program for spouses pursuing their first undergraduate degree.

Application cycle opens: Apr. 2020.

Navy Marine Corps Relief Society

Link: https://www.nmcrs.org/pages/ education-loans-and-scholarships

Who’s eligible: Children and spouses of active duty or retired Sailors and Marines (including retired reservists drawing military retirement pay).

What’s the basics: Interest free loans and grants range from $500 to $3,000 per academic year.

Application cycle opens: Now—May 15, 2020.

If your organization has a military scholarship program that you want to be added to the list, email the details to managing.editor@ ameriforcemedia.com.

Soldiers compete for Olympics

By Bianca M. Strzalkowski

Three Army reservists are hoping to join Team USA in Tokyo this year, relying on their shooting skills to get them to the international stage.

Shotgun

1st Lt. Amber English was 5 or 6 years old when she first shot a pistol during a camping trip with her family. The Colorado-native started competitively shooting by her late teens, but her weapon of choice was one that let her embrace being outside.

“I tried rifle and pistol and it was inside, and I was like I know there was another discipline — the shotgun discipline — and it was outside and just felt more my speed. I was super outdoorsy growing up, so being outside just felt like being at home to me. I did gymnastics growing up for a long time so the competitiveness was still there. And it just kind of started with that,” English said.

English joined the military in 2017 as a logistics officer after getting to know other soldiers through her travels. Though it was a decision that did not come until a year prior, she says it was “a natural progression to be absorbed into this family.”

“So, I didn’t decide that I was going to join the Army until 2016. I have traveled with a lot of the guys— who are currently on the Army Marksmanship Unit — since about 2010 … and they were kind of like a second family to me,” she said.

Typical training days vary depending on what she is training for. English describes international and domestic competitions as polar opposites of each other, demanding different focuses.

“Our domestic matches are more of like a marathon, so to get ready for that I’ll do a lot of repetition and fine-tuning. I do a lot more quantity versus quality in the beginning,

then I start to ramp that down and do the quality,” she said. “Overseas is like the opposite. It’s more like a sprint, so we shoot less targets and I focus on going out there and shooting a perfect run off the bat or I get to the point where if I don’t shoot a perfect score, I force myself to put the gun down and walk away from it and come back and sleep on it overnight so I have it figured out for the next day when I come back.”

One lesser-thought about requirement of preparation is hydration, English says, because lack of water can affect vision.

She set her sights on 2020 because of “unfinished business,” after coming close to making the team four years ago.

“I was an Olympic alternative in 2016 and I had kind of a battle to even get there, to be honest. I unexpectedly lost my dad in between Olympic trials in 2016 … that was definitely a big challenge for me and I was super close to making that team after all of that,” English said.

1st Lt. Amber English

1st Lt. Sarah Beard

Her dad was an Olympic Training Center resident athlete.

English says her training for the Olympics is “definitely a four year process,” and though she has been at it for a long time, she is always learning.

Rifle

In 2006, 1st Lt. Sarah Beard began practicing air rifle in her basement. Like English, her family has a background in shooting, with her father, William, being a member of the 1984 Olympic Shooting Team.

“I remember seeing a lot of memorabilia from all the places he got to travel to around our house … and he really wasn’t the one that wanted me to start shooting. I kept asking him and bugging him to get me to the range. Finally he did,” she said. “We were able to shoot together for a lot of competitions, and I thought it was really cool. I fell in love with it from there.”

Her dad also shot the rifle, which is what helped her train in this specific sport because he had all of the required equipment already.

Beard initially considered active duty, but the Army Reserve offered her the opportunity to pursue dual passions. “I wanted to go both officer and be able to shoot and compete,” she said.

As for getting ready for a competition, like the Olympics, Beard says it requires a lot more than training time on the range.

“It really encompasses almost every aspect of your life. I do meet with a nutritionist; we go over not only daily meal plans, but also a plan of what the best way to fuel my body during a match is. It’s like two hours

and 45 minutes — that’s a long time to have to compete at your top. I also work with sports psychologists; I do a lot of mindfulness training because there’s a lot of the mental aspect that’s in this sport. I also go to the gym quite a bit for injury prevention,” she said.

She sees her strongest ability ahead of the March trials as being able to bring international experience from so many different matches.

Pistol

Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft took second place in December for the first round of Olympic trials for the air pistol and sport pistol, just slightly missing the lead by two points. And she has a strong background in competing that goes back to 1991, winning her first gold medal in the Pan American Games in 2003.

The Alabama-native has served in every component of the military, initially starting with the Army National Guard in 1989, and she had no experience with shooting until she enlisted.

“Prior to joining the military, I never fired a weapon before. The first thing I ever shot was the M16 in basic training,” she said. “I guess that introduction to firearms intrigued me enough to where when I was a student at the University of Southern California, our ROTC wanted to start a competitive shooting team and I was immediately onboard.”

Uptagrafft started with an air pistol, realizing she had a natural talent

for it off the bat. Her performance at collegiate matches gained her recruitment to the Army Marksmanship Unit. She also credits her husband, Eric, with being “the greatest influence on her shooting career,” according to her USA Shooting Team biography. He was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team in shooting.

Uptagrafft explains that both her crafts, as a soldier and as a competitive shooter, mutually benefit each other.

“Being a competitive shooter has helped my career as a soldier by teaching me things like attention to detail, mental stamina, perseverance, and that will to win, and vice versa … as a soldier you are instilled with a never quit attitude. You know, discipline, physical fitness and endurance, and always striving to do the best you can at everything. That also translates into helping me as a competitive shooter,” she said.

Uptagrafft is now a member of the Army Reserve Service Pistol Team.

Follow https://www.usashooting. org to keep up with the current schedule of upcoming Olympic trials for the USA Shooting Team.

* All images by Michelle Lunato.

New Jersey National Guard

sees double

By Andrea Downing Peck

If good things come in pairs, Army Spc. Joseph Maurino and Army Pvt. Matthew Maurino were a double bonus for Area Support Group-Qatar when the identical twins arrived in the desert last year.

Members of the New Jersey Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment, the 20-year-old Manalapan, New Jerseynatives never expected their first deployment to occur at the same time to the same place. But given the fact their lives have been in lockstep since birth, it may not be

surprising that it did.

Born minutes apart, the twins grew up in New Jersey playing the same sports, sharing the same friends and doing most everything together. That changed slightly when Joseph needed a pen for his next high school class and borrowed one from an Army recruiter who happened to be in the cafeteria. Not long after, Joseph met with the recruiter again and enlisted in the Army National Guard.

Maurino said his choice of a military occupational specialty

(MOS) was a forgone conclusion.

“I joined to fight for my country, which is why I joined the infantry,” Joseph said in an interview conducted via email. “Combined with the toughness and physical training involved, the infantry was the clear choice.”

Matthew traveled a slightly different route to the Army. Though the military had been on his radar since childhood, his plan was to finish college and then enlist. But when Joseph returned home from basic training wearing his Army

uniform, Matthew was convinced he should push his college plans to the backburner and also join the National Guard. He said the infantry was a natural choice for him as well.

“I planned on joining the military my whole life,” Matthew also wrote in an email sent from Qatar. “My brother and I ended up in the same career path because we’re both people who enjoy excitement and being in the ‘fight’ so infantry was the de facto MOS for us both.”

Since they had enlisted a year apart,

neither brother expected they would experience their first deployment together. Joseph already had orders to Qatar when Matthew — fresh from boot camp — was completing One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Ultimately, however, Matthew, who serves with Alpha Company, was given one of the remaining two slots in the Guard unit deploying as part of the security force element at Camp As Sayliyah.

When Joseph found out his brother would be deploying with him to the Middle East, he announced the news to their parents by presenting them with a cake decorated with an image of Doha, Qatar.

“I was very excited,” Joseph said. “I knew I’d be able to have my brother to fall back on if anything was going wrong and visa-versa. If nothing else, it would mean we’d always have somebody to talk and chill with.”

While the twins do not work side-by-side, Matthew says he sees his brother for two-to-three day stretches when Joseph, a Bravo Company member, rotates between Falcon-78 Ammunition Storage Point and Camp As Sayliyah.

“Being deployed with my brother is not insignificant,” Matthew said. “It’s great to have a literal part of your family with you and makes things considerably less stressful. The biggest benefit is simply having your brother with you. There’s no other way I could put it.”

When they reported to Area Support Group-Qatar, the identical twins quickly had their superiors seeing double.

“[There were] more than a few

times where officers or senior enlisted would yell at us for being in the wrong place only to be dumbfounded when they would realize it wasn’t their Maurino,” Joseph said.

Despite their many similarities, the brothers can quickly point out the differences between them.

“Matthew is usually a bit livelier and more energetic than I am,” Joseph explained. “That being said, he’s also quite a bit funnier, too. I do think I am more serious than him about certain things. But it’s not like there’s a big brother, little brother dynamic. More like a dynamic duo.”

“We are more alike than different,” Matthew agrees. “But I do believe vanilla ice cream is better than chocolate. Joe disagrees.”

They have no disagreement about what their futures hold. Both brothers plan to continue to serve after their initial enlistments end, though Matthew’s goal is to complete his college degree and become an active-duty Army officer.

Though their time in uniform has been relatively short, the twins are grateful for their National Guard service. Joseph says the military has boosted his confidence and sharpened his interpersonal skills, while Matthew notes that serving in the National Guard has not derailed his college plans, but it has cut the cost of obtaining a degree.

“The Guard is a no-brainer,” Matthew says. “Free college. Even while deployed I’m able to take online classes.”

The Maurino brothers returned home from Qatar late last year.

use nontraditional

connect veterans ways to Groups

By Rebekah Sanderlin

Camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose are the things veterans often say they miss most about serving. Two organizations, Team RWB and Team Rubicon , have recreated that for veterans by providing opportunities to do challenging work in supportive groups, but the two organizations are going about it in very different ways.

“When we push ourselves together, we build resilience and relationships,” said Bana Miller, Team RWB’s chief marketing officer. “Service members learn this during their time in the military and, without it in their daily lives, they feel less purposeful, less healthy and more isolated. The military has really cracked the code on overcoming isolation and Team RWB offers all our members a chance to apply those lessons to

everyday life.”

Team RWB, which stands for Red, White and Blue, is a nonprofit veterans service organization that was founded in 2010 to support struggling and transitioning service members by connecting them to their communities through physical activity, Miller said. Veterans, their family members and supportive civilians can join one of the 200 local chapters for free, and then meet up with like-minded people to engage in other sports and physical activities. Participants join at every fitness level and with a wide range of goals. For some, their goal is simply to make friends, for others it’s to find something similar to what they experienced serving.

“It is much harder to do hard things alone,” Miller said. “On active duty, service members never have to, but

afterward veterans often do. This is the first hard thing veterans face during the transition to civilian life.”

Team Rubicon meets the same need for community and purpose, but does so in an entirely different way. The group mobilizes veterans to use their skills to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises, said Marc DeNofio, the public relations and social media manager for the organization. Team Rubicon volunteers — who include veterans, military family members, first responders, and civilians — travel around the world as a volunteer disaster relief force. DeNofio said they even have a few service dogs in their volunteer ranks.

Though both groups represent a departure from how previous generations of veterans congregated,

these organizations are not just for Millennials and Gen X’ers. Older veterans from previous generations of service are active participants too. Miller said Team RWB has members from every generation and representing every conflict since WWII.

DeNofio said the same is true for Team Rubicon. “We have Vietnamera veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, Gulf War veterans and veterans who served during peacetime. There is a great blend of generations on our operations. The common purpose and mission of helping others is one that definitely resonates across all these generations.”

With 200 chapters nationwide, someone interested in joining Team RWB can likely find a chapter near them to join the more than 200,000 existing members. There are no membership fees, Miller said, and those interested in learning more can go to TeamRWB.org and sign up. They’ll be connected to the nearest chapter and immediately plugged into a local network. Also, membership is open to the veteran’s family members as well as to supportive civilians.

“Team RWB gives me motivation to get out and get moving with the bonus of building relationships with fellow veterans in my community who I might not ever meet otherwise,” said Matt Bailey, captain for Team RWB’s New Orleans chapter.

Team Rubicon does not have a local chapter system, but operates from the national level with territorial teams that can respond to disasters across the country and on a local level. To join the more than 100,000 volunteers already in the network, people can sign up online

at TeamRubiconUSA.org. There are no membership dues, but volunteers do undergo an application process which includes an orientation to the work Team Rubicon does, some basic courses to understand disaster operations and a background check. If a volunteer is called on to respond to a crisis that is not near his or her hometown, Team Rubicon will cover expenses for travel, lodging and most meals. And, of course, volunteers are not obligated to respond to every crisis. They can opt in or opt out as their schedules and obligations permit.

“I’ve been with Team Rubicon for seven years,” said Navy veteran Donna Burdett. “After getting out of the military, I was missing my mission and purpose in life. Team Rubicon gives you three things when you leave the service: a mission, a purpose and a sense of community.”

A new program gives Army National Guard soldiers access to hundreds of civilian credentials.

The Army Credentialing Assistance Program allows soldiers to pursue industry-specific credentials, certifications or licensures that can make them more marketable

Education opportunities expanded for Army Guard

By Bianca M. Strzalkowski

in the civilian sector. Within the Army COOL website, users can search more than 1600 options related to their MOS or an MOS, and the portal also breaks down when a license or certification may be beneficial to an occupation — examples include commercial driver’s license (CDL), accredited financial counselor and certified welder.

Kenneth Hardy, chief of the Army National Guard’s education services branch, says this program is designed for the Guard member at any stage of a career.

“A lot of employers are looking for these types of credentials. They’re looking at them to compare

applicants or promote (them),” Hardy said. “There was a fairly high unemployment rate for the soldiers that were leaving the Army, so they did their year, two years or three years, or say they’re leaving after six or 10 years, or even after retirement … they’re going to go on for another career and unfortunately all those Army skills that they have weren’t necessarily tied to a civilian occupation.”

A key talking point of the veteran employment topic has centered on a service member’s ability to translate military experience to a resume. Hardy says this program gives civilian employers a clear understanding of what the soldier is bringing to the company.

A soldier reviews the Army Cool website during an Army Credentialing Assistance Program briefing. Photo by Norm Shifflett.

“What this does is it allows a soldier to become more marketable on the civilian side by obtaining those same credentials that civilian employers use and that they recognize on the civilian side,” he explained.

Users can choose up to two pathways total, related or unrelated to what they do for the military.

“If you’re in a combat arms MOS for the Guard, but during the week they’re an IT manager for a network or they’re working in the medical field or any other myriad of fields that have licensing or credentials, and so they can now use our program to help them in those career fields. It’s not just limited to the job they’re doing in the Army,” Hardy said.

Soldiers are allotted up to $4000 per fiscal year for tuition

assistance, credentialing assistance or a combination of both. Hardy recommends meeting with an education counselor to determine the best pathway for career goals, and there are a number of assessments

that soldiers have access to.

For those with credentials that may have a renewal cost, soldiers can reapply the following year for assistance with those fees.

Top 5 credentials currently pursued:

• Project management professional (PMP)

• Private pilot

• Certified personal trainer

• Certified associate project management

• Lean six sigma green belt

The application process is somewhat “clunky” at this time, Hardy adds, with soldiers having to manually fill out information about the vendor, program requirements, cost, etc. The timeline from application to approval is dependent on the program chosen. To view the full list of credentials eligible for assistance, go to https:// www.cool.army.mil/search/CredSearchAlpha.htm.

Brothers continue family’s long legacy of service

By Jessica Evans

The Stangl brothers bring a whole new meaning to got your six.

For many soldiers preparing to deploy, separation from family on the home front can bring an extra hardship. But for siblings opting to share military service, like Sgt. Stephen Stangl and Pfc. Nathan Stangl, that’s not a problem. The brothers, who both serve in the Minnesota National Guard, are experiencing their first career deployment together.

When Stephen, a motor transport operator, learned his younger brother, Nathan, a helicopter mechanic, had an impending deployment, the elder brother immediately called his Readiness NCO to volunteer. Several months went by without a word. Then, two weeks before Nathan was preparing to leave his small town of Mahtomedi, Minnesota, Stephen got the call.

“He called and said it was time to go,” Stephen said. “But instead of having a few months to get everything in order, I only had a few weeks.”

Following in their parents’ footsteps

The urge to volunteer is tradition in the Stangl family. Rebecca Stangl, the mother of Stephen and Nathan, is a Navy veteran. Their father, Tom, served 21 years total — three on active duty and 18 in the Air National Guard. Cousins, uncles, and grandparents all served as well, including an older brother, Peter, who was active-duty soldier right out of high school.

After meeting in 1989, Tom deployed to Desert Shield. When he returned, he proposed and the couple began planning a wedding. Just as the invitations were sent, Rebecca’s unit was activated to deploy to Desert Storm. They called

everyone invited and moved the wedding to the following day.

Tom, not wanting his fiancé to deploy alone, offered to go along on the deployment. His unit deployed immediately after the wedding, but Rebecca’s departure was delayed several times until eventually being removed from standby status.

Sending children overseas

Rebecca and Tom know there are challenges awaiting them during this deployment, which includes having two sons deployed simultaneously.

“Both of us have discussed how it seems harder to send our sons than it was to send a spouse. We know that they are adult men, but we see our children. We have to let go of that and trust their training. Communication has improved

incredibly since 1991 [so] that part will seem easy. The people being left at home are the ones in the dark, not knowing what is happening. I think this is true for all family members of our deployed troops,” Rebecca said.

A supportive home front

Shortly before retiring, Tom commissioned, which allowed him to swear in all three of his sons.

“I know that was a really proud moment for Dad,” Nathan said. “Not many people get that chance.”

Then, at Stephen’s recent promotion ceremony, Nathan got to promote his brother to sergeant, noting he was “the first sergeant in the Stangl family in a long time.”

Nathan is the youngest, and he recalls he and Stephen bickering the way brothers tend to do. As adults, though, he says maturity and life experience has brought them closer together. When Stephen joined the Minnesota National Guard, Nathan soon followed.

“Our relationship has improved since we have shared commonalities,” Nathan said.

Leaning on their faith

One thing the brothers know for sure is that they plan to lean on their faith to help them complete the deployment.

“The most important thing to us is staying strong in our faith and making sure we don’t lose any connection with it,” Stephen said.

Part of that will be live streaming services led by their home church, Eagle Brook, in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

“Praying and staying faithful to God is definitely the most important thing on this deployment,” Nathan added.

The two consider miniature bibles to be part of their Army uniform and are steadfast in their Christian beliefs.

“I look up to my brother for how he’s strong in his faith, and I can only try to be that strong. It’s something I admire,” Nathan remarked.

The experience of deployment is one that many veterans struggle to articulate once they return home. However, for the Stangl brothers, they will have the added bonus of having those common experiences with each other, making the reintegration process a family affair.

“A lot of people don’t get to go on a deployment with their brother. It’ll be an experience, and we’ll see how it goes. I’ll get to know a lot of new people while serving with my brother,” Stephen said.

Pfc. Nathan Stangl. Photo by Sgt. Sydney Mariette.

Sgt. Stephen Stangl.

Photo by Sgt. Sydney Mariette.

The first year of my son’s service

By Nancy Craker-Yahman

We were happy to return to the place where it all started. The place where Zachary found answers to his questions about military service through research and conversations with his sergeant. It is hard to believe it has been close to a year since he came to us with a plan to enlist in the Massachusetts National Guard. I couldn’t help but feel nostalgia, pride, and curiosity when revisiting the university he left behind to become an American soldier.

After AIT, Zachary returned to Bridgewater State University to study elementary education and communications. And he has embraced campus life in full force. In addition to attending full-time with the benefits of the tuition and fee waiver support afforded to those who serve, he is also an initiated brother of Sigma Pi that supports

men’s mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

Gaining a Blue Star bestie

As we sat down to enjoy a complimentary lunch at the campus dining hall, I heard ding! Glancing at my phone, I noticed a message from an unfamiliar name through Facebook messenger. As I begin to read her words a wave of emotions rush over me. Her introduction begins with thanking me for writing about our son’s journey to becoming an American soldier. Politely, she asks me about his experience with basic and AIT training, because her son will soon follow in similar footsteps.

My new friend describes the range of emotions she is feeling and so much of what she describes is exactly what I felt close to a year ago. I had so much to share and I

knew it would be best to start at the beginning. Since our connection, Zachary has been able to share with her and her son about what life is like as a soldier and civilian. Through our opportunities to chat, laugh and shed a tear, we dig deep. Feelings surface that have us experiencing heartfelt emotions towards the ones we love and cherish who proudly serve in the United States military.

As our friendship continues to strengthen, I find myself sharing tips and strategies that helped me to get through the tough times. Not only did I experience loneliness and worry about what our soldier was enduring during basic training, but I held on tight to his self-confidence and personal quest for success.

My thoughts reminded me that if he could make it, I could make it too. Some of the important tips I shared with her include:

Sandboxx’s letter writing service: https://www.sandboxx. us/letters

Fort Jackson’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ fortjackson

Journaling: The importance of having a place where she could express her thoughts in a personal and private space.

As I closed my reply message to her, I smiled. Smiles all around because we were able to spend the day with our son and because I was gaining a friend that I could count and lean on just like she could with me. As our Blue Star motherhood connection continues to grow, there is so much I would like to share but for now I will listen.

Air Force navigator inspired to pen children’s books

By Emily Marcason-Tolmie

New York Air National Guard Maj. Amanda Coonradt has her head in the clouds. Literally. As a navigator, she is responsible for mission planning, avoiding terrain and weather, fuel planning, leading air drops, airborne radar approaches and celestial navigation. She is also a mom of two young children, a wife, and a self-published author. Her first children’s book, “Air Force Amanda: Adventure in Antarctica” was released in 2017 to rave reviews. She is set to write the next book in the Amanda series during her deployment to “the ice.”

“How could you not be inspired while in Antarctica?” Coonradt asks. “When there, you’re in a special and solitary place in the world. Although I have long days there, I can find time for myself! I don’t have much time at home for myself as a full-time working mom of two.”

Coonradt is successfully juggling

motherhood and her career.

“I honestly couldn’t do it without my family and their support,” she said. “My husband and both sets of grandparents really go above and beyond to let me focus on my duty and give me the peace of mind that my kids are happy and healthy. I focus on myself and what I can

improve on when I’m away from them. That’s the best I can do.”

Coonradt joined the New York Air National Guard at the 109th Airlift Wing in the fall of 2000, after graduating from Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, New York.

“While all my friends were going away to college, I was going to boot camp,” she said. “But, by the end of basic training I knew I was meant to have the military as a major part of my life.”

In 2002, Coonradt was a 20-yearold senior airman deployed to Saudi Arabia. It was during that deployment she fell in love with aviation. She recognized the 109th to be the only unit with LC-130 airplanes, which can land in remote and austere camps in Greenland and Antarctica. The military unit uses skis to land on snow. She knew then she wanted to be a navigator.

Three years later, she completed her undergraduate degree in childhood education from the State University of New York at Oneonta. After receiving her teaching certificate, she applied and was accepted to be

an officer. In 2009, after two years of active-duty training — including Nav School and C-130 training, survival schools and local unit trainings — Coonradt qualified as a ski mission navigator and tactical mission navigator. In between trainings and school, Coonradt married her husband, Russ, in 2009.

“We met in the military,” she said. “He was a firefighter at my Air Force base while I was in mission support group in the services flight.”

After Russ completed his commitment with the Air Force, he enlisted as a Navy corpsman to act as a medic with a Marine infantry unit. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. It was while he was away on deployment that Coonradt completed her graduate degree in literacy from the University of New England. All the while, she was flying regularly to Greenland and Antarctica. In 2012, she deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan in her new role as a flyer.

“Moving everything from pallets, soldiers, supplies, captives and medical evacuations; I really felt I was making a difference every day during my deployment,” she said.

Today, Coonradt works full-time

at the Stratton Air National Guard Base near Schenectady, New York, in addition to required drill weekends and deployments. However, for Coonradt, there is still nothing more beautiful than flying down on a glacier on a clear and beautiful day and landing on the snow and ice like only this specialized Air Force unit can do.

“We support the National Science Foundation’s research, people at the South Pole and multiple science camps spread over the continent,” she said. “Working in temperatures below freezing and flying six days a week can be challenging. It’s also very fun. It’s the best job in the Air Force.”

In April 2015, Coonradt was grounded, but for a very good reason. Amelia Catherine, her daughter, was born.

“Having to take time away from flying to have her was a change, but being a mom was another reason I was meant to be on this Earth,” she said.

It was during her first deployment to Antarctica after Amelia was born that Coonradt turned to writing to help her mentally stay busy while being away from home.

“I’m an educator, a mom and a navigator,” she said. “This (book) combines all my passions and interests.”

In September 2018, Coonradt and Russ welcomed their second child, a son named Caleb Aaron.

Since writing and promoting her first book and with her own children in mind, Coonradt is determined to create a series of books for military children.

“This book impacts military children in multiple ways. Relating to the fact military moms and dads leave for service on a regular basis. It can show them that we make the world a better place, not just from conflicts. That they too can serve in the future and enjoy friendship, pride and special experiences they can be proud of,” she said.

Coonradt believes in the power of educating children, to encourage them to dream big, and that having your head in the clouds can be a wonderful thing.

“Air Force Amanda: Adventure in Antarctica” is available across the globe, from the gift shop at the Empire State Aeroscience Museum in Scotia, New York to the International Antarctic Center in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is also available on Amazon and Kindle. For more information, please visit the website: www.airforceamanada.com .

Former SecDef looks ahead to life after service

By Bianca M. Strzalkowski

Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis recently penned a new book, “Call Sign Chaos,” detailing his youth, philosophies on leadership, and how he unexpectedly found himself called out of retirement to serve as the 26th secretary of defense.

Among the notable accomplishments attached to his career, it is perhaps his relationship with the troops that will become the most prominent part of his legacy. The reverence for the longtime leader transcends service branch and rank as he finds himself the subject of memes, military blogs, and even 2020 campaign bumper stickers.

“With no false modesty, I think I was a pretty average Marine. I was always in the right place at the right time. But I spent a fair amount of time trying to make very clear what my intent was and I just kind of liked the troops. It was an affection I had for them. It’s why I stuck around the military,” he said. “And I would always reward initiative, even if once in a while it got them in trouble. Then I would make very clear the end state, ‘when it’s done, we’ll be positioned ready to cross

the Tigris River.’

Then I’d take my hand off the steering wheel, I’d wander around and see how they’re doing. I didn’t believe in command and control, I wanted command and feedback.”

He often examines the successes and failures of leadership for its correlation to unit cohesion. Building up trust is not enough, he says, rather NCOs and officers need to be tough, but “always tough on their (Marines) side.”

“I sometimes wondered why a 40man platoon here was so smooth moving against the enemy, even when they were taking casualties, and here was a 160-man company — it was still capable, trained well, recruited the same — but why was a 40-man platoon so effective against an enemy when a larger unit was

not as agile, not as smooth? I think the word is affection,” he said.

Four decades with the Marines

Mattis enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve at age 18, then was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1971 after graduating from Central Washington University. He would serve as a Marine Corps officer until his departure in 2013. But retirement didn’t last long. A call about an interview with then President-elect Donald Trump for the defense secretary position thrust Mattis back into the public’s eye.

He was no stranger to what the role required as he served as senior military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, executive secretary to the secretary of defense, among other billets, according to the Department of Defense website.

Then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis addresses National Guard leaders at the National Guard Association of the United States 140th General Conference in 2018. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jim Greenhill.

What’s next?

Late last year, Mattis resigned his Pentagon position citing policy differences with the president. “Call Sign Chaos,” which is co-authored with Bing West, has kept him busy since.

“First, I wasn’t going to write a book and one of my mentors — I’ve had many over the years — said, ‘you know you’ve been lucky and you’ve learned a lot from your reading and you ought to pass on the way you adopted things to your style so others can see it,’” Mattis said.

The book targets those in the military and business with the following takeaways:

1. Trust is the coin of the realm in leaders: You have to be able to trust your subordinates and trust your seniors, and when you’ve told them what you want, train them, and then delegate as much authority for decisions and just take your hands off the steering wheel. You’re still responsible, but don’t try to make all the decisions.

2. Allies: I never fought once without allies, never once with all Americans, and so nations with allies thrive and nations without allies die. Treat them with respect.

As he prepares to start the second act of his retirement, Mattis plans to keep it simple in civilian life.

“I’m going to travel more around the American West, I’m going to do more rock climbing, and I’m going to read books that have nothing to do with fighting.”

General encourages women to explore IT career fields

By Bianca M. Strzalkowski

A soldier says women are one Google search away from a new career field.

Brig. Gen. Stefanie Horvath was initially introduced to the idea of building a career in technology after seeing her mother, Catherine, work her way from secretary to IT director at Minot State University.

“She triggered an idea to do technology because I really hadn’t thought about it while I was at college. It would strike me after college that this is something I liked — I really liked databases, I liked figuring out formulas in Excel, so I took just a little small class — I think it was Office 97 at the time,” she said. “… I found out the Minnesota Army National Guard regional training institute was looking to do automation training and just because of those classes I took, then that was it. My role into technology has not been one of formal education, it’s been one of practitioner and experiential.

Horvath, who is the second woman to attain the rank of brigadier general in Minnesota Army National Guard history, enlisted in 1989 in the North Dakota National Guard while she was still in high school. In her youth, she was playing the French horn and performing in orchestras while she figured out who she was and what she wanted

to do, though, she says she always knew she would serve.

“I knew I kind of wanted to serve; the services were appealing for whatever sense of adventures, way to learn, way to kind of expand, and then of course, a way to pay for college. I was really interested in a way to pay for college,” she explained.

After enlisting, Horvath pursued a commissioning but admits the requirements of opera performances and the officer basic course competed with one another. But she also says there were women leaders who inspired her unknowingly.

“I have to admit there were some really awesome female officers in North Dakota. Many who have now gone on to great and wonderful

Horvath, of Minot, N.D., a 34th Infantry Division communications officer, maneuvers her way toward the basket during an all-female, 1st Inf. Div. versus 34th Inf. Div., basketball game at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, Jan. 24. Sgt. Samuel Soza.

Stefanie Horvath is pinned with the rank brigadier general by her wife Christy and her mother Catherine on July 9, 2019, in Rosemount, Minn. Horvath will be the Director of Joint Staff for the Minnesota National Guard. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Sgt. Sebastian Nemec.

things. … They were quietly serving professionals and yet, they were mentors without being told they were mentors. So, yeah, there were some great female officers who were great examples. I think at the time, I was young and just trying to figure out who the heck I was and what I was trying to do,” she said.

Making the case for informal learning

Computer and information technology occupations are projected to grow by 12% through 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with an annual median wage of $86,320 — nearly triple other industries. Because of her own success with hands-on learning, Horvath is an advocate of informal education programs.

“There are so many interesting online educational opportunities, from YouTube videos to CYBRARY — an amazing, online institute that will teach you every programming language, everything you need to know to be a SOC analyst; there are so many opportunities that women can just try out and see if they like

it and if they like it, great keep going; and if they don’t like it, then that’s OK too and try something else,” she explained.

She adds that women, in particular, have skills that make a great fit for IT.

“The thing is that sometimes women don’t believe they have amazing logic and analysis skills,

and that really is at the heart of programming. Programming is very logical; you know there’s input, there’s processing and there’s output. And women have tremendous logic and they can bring that sort of competency or cognitive ability to logical thinking,” she said. “Technology is so much more than sitting in front of a computer and writing a thousand lines of code.”

For women looking to explore this career path, Horvath recommends connecting with women-in-tech clubs and associations along with platforms like GitHub .

Horvath smiles with her family after her promotion ceremony to brigadier general in 2019, in Rosemount, Minn. Horvath will be the Director of Joint Staff for the Minnesota National Guard. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Sgt. Sydney Mariette.

Then-Col. Horvath marches candidates of an OCS class during a 10-mile ruck march through the Camp Ripley training area.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Housey.

Switching components

By Jessica Evans

Education benefits and skills building are the often talked about benefits of serving in the military. Lesser focused on is the option to lateral move into a different field or switch components all together if that trajectory puts your career on the path you’re aiming for. That was the exact case for Sean Brown, a retired sailor, and active-duty Army Capt. Mike Schreckenbach who decided one branch of the military wasn’t enough.

Refusing to be a statistic

After graduating from high school in 1992, Brown learned he’d been accepted to Brown University, but he didn’t get the news until it was too late and couldn’t start in the fall as an incoming freshman. So instead, he spent a few months at home thinking about his future and his options. He explains he didn’t have a desire to become a statistic and figured the military might be a good fit for him.

“I literally made the decision to go into the military on a whim. I opened the yellow pages and searched for the military, and the first one I saw was for the U.S. Air Force. I called the recruiter, met with him, took the ASVAB that day and signed up to go in at the earliest chance,” Brown said.

By the following year, he was at basic training. After serving just under 13 years in the Air Force as an Inventory Control Specialist, Brown was

medically separated from the military, which left him with a bad taste.

“I didn’t believe I couldn’t do my job and contacted the U.S. Navy recruiter in San Diego. After a physical and full evaluation through MEPS, I joined the U.S. Navy Reserve, where I spent 10 years until I retired in 2015,” he said.

Spending 22 years in two branches of the service is impressive, but that’s not the full story. Brown also wore the Army’s uniform for five years while he was in the Air Force and one year while he was in Navy. Six of his 22 years were served joint-service with the Army, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Not all of his career was charmed though.

“I had many a rough year learning how to do things the military way and not the Sean way,” said Brown. “But as I deployed, went TDY, and served with so many, I found a great sense of pride in being in the military.”

Flying and leading

Schreckenbach joined the Navy in 2001, prior to 9/11, at the age of 23. When the Navy offered him a spot in the Navy Seaman to Admiral Program with the option of commissioning, he ultimately decided to decline the offer. His ripe age of 27 limited him to the types of jobs he could do, and the one thing Schreckenbach wanted to do was to fly.

“At this point, I started researching my options to fulfill my goals. I contacted the Army ROTC program at a university in my home state and learned I could possibly fly if I earned my degree,” he said.

Along with passing a physical and being selected for the aviation

branch through the accession process, Schreckenbach decided it was worth the effort. During his time at college, he also joined the Army National Guard to help assist with school and continue his service.

After five-and-a-half years with the Navy, he made the switch to the Army in 2006.

“My transition was prompted by a strong desire to fly and also to lead and serve at a higher level of responsibility. During the transfer, having prior service experience helped. Learning the different nuances was challenging at first, but then it’s a whole lot of the same. Plan. Prepare. Execute. The mission is different, but the expectation is the same,” Schreckenbach explained.

Like Schreckenbach, Brown says the time he spent in two different branches gave him a unique ability to work with people from all varieties of life.

“Throughout my Air Force career, I spent a lot of time dealing with people of all personality types. The Air Force does connection better than any other branch and bringing that skill to the Navy was the key to transitioning,” Brown said.

Now officially retired, Brown runs a series of workshops relating to the theme Live Every Tiny Moment Exceptionally (LETME). He recently published his third

book in a series with photographs taken during his deployments, coupled with meditations for life. Brown even runs a personal growth workshop that explores topics of communication, ways to reframe self-talk, ownership, and creating positive relationships.

“Being able to navigate within the three branches helps me to relate to people in that it shows how one can adapt and still succeed,” Brown said.

For those who are considering an interservice transfer, Schreckenbach says it’s important to carefully evaluate your goals and do a lot of careful research.

“Know what you’re getting into and what to expect will help drive candid conversations with recruiters or recruiting officers. In any service, you will have to move up, and there are requirements that have to be met to make that happen. Don’t expect a different service to be easy or less challenging. Don’t drag your feet; you’re going to be behind the power curve and you have a lot to learn. So be prepared to work,” Schreckenbach said.

Both Brown and Schreckenbach agree that having a good mentor is integral to service transfer success.

“This person, hopefully in the military and senior, should be a sounding board and resource as you push forward into uncharted waters,” Schreckenbach added.

“Being able to navigate within the three branches helps me to relate to people in that it shows how one can adapt and still succeed”