Precious But Not Promised

Putting ink to paper is easy, but putting words to ink is not always an easy task.

Maj. Tracey Frink, 108th Training Command (IET), deputy public affairs officer, attached to the Warrior Transition Unit tells her story in her own words.

Even though I lived most my life in Virginia, after graduating from school in 1997 and joining the Army Reserve, I have traveled around the world.

I always knew I would join the military, growing up in a large Family of seven brothers and sisters; the military has just been an extension of my Family.

After my first assignment as an enlisted military police in Germany, I completed my Product and Operations Management Degree and commissioned as an officer. My first branch was aviation where I flew a little, but when I arrived in Fort Rucker, Alabama, I was medically disqualified for my eyes due to an operation that I had years previously.

My next branch school was part of the 398th Headquarters Finance Group in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. While I was working there, Col. Wright encouraged me to be a public affairs officer. She signed my orders to the 326th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (MPAD) and told me, “You need to do this for more opportunities. You have to try different things in order to be a better prepared officer and leader.”

She was right. I love public affairs! It is the best career field in the Army because I get to see and be a part of so much of the story, not just the Army story or whoever you work with, but also the Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. I have the opportunity to tell the military story as well as the Department of Defense story. We are a blended force. It is fantastic!

Later, I became the 203rd MPAD commander and deployed to Kuwait in support of USARCENT. But there was a need for an experienced public affairs captain in Afghanistan, so I was sent to Kabul to be part of an element called RCERTSWA-ARCENT. As the detachment commander, I contributed to The U.S. Army’s award-winning weekly magazine the “Desert Voice”.

During my R&R, while deployed to Afghanistan, my mother, Sandra Hart, and I met in Australia. We had a great time. It was an opportunity to visit a place that I had never been, but always wanted to see.

In addition to Afghanistan, I have deployed to Cuba, Kosovo and Bosnia. Now I am assigned to the 108th Training Command (IET) as the deputy public affairs officer since 2013. It has been challenging at times, but very rewarding. I have met and worked with a lot of experienced Soldiers, co-workers and veterans. They continue to support me and my Family in many many ways; emotionally, spiritually, physically and administratively. The 108th is my Family.

Last year on my 34th birthday, after having headaches off and on, being prescribed box after box of headache and sinus medications, a CT scan was done and revealed a tumor in my brain. I was diagnosed with Astrocytoma Anaplastic (Grade III); a type of brain cancer.

I am now 35 years old and even though the pain is constant, I will continue any treatment offered. I have had feeding tubes and been through emergency room visits and had extensive hospital stays due to critical blood loss. My treatment has included radiation and MRIs to determine if anything has been effective.

At one point I was in Heron Cove, a rehabilitative facility about an hour from my home. It was a wonderful facility and my mother, Sandra, “gives them a lot of credit for Tracey’s recovery efforts.”

I have successfully completed my first round of five treatments of chemotherapy and making preparations to head down to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, at Duke University Medical Center for additional consultations/ treatments.

Life is a lot like what the military calls a ‘confidence course’. There are obstacles in front of you that you have to figure out how to overcome, whether it is going around, under, or through them. You have to have that will power and not be defeated. Through this I have learned a valuable lesson in life: it is precious but not promised.

Maj. Tracey Frink, 108th Training Command (IET), deputy public affairs officer, at home with her mother, Sandra Hart and (from left to right) 108th Training Commands (IET) Supply NCOIC, Sgt. 1st Class Athena Dickey, Chaplain (Maj.) Ann Tang and Public Affairs Specialist Mrs. Deborah Williams. Photo by James Williams, 108th Training Command (IET), Unit Public Affairs Representative