Soldier Earns the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Title

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti – After completing his 5^th deployment, you would think Staff Sgt. Derrick Smith from Richmond, Kentucky, would want to take a break. But that’s not the case for this Soldier who wants to finish his bachelor’s in commercial aviation and deploy again as soon as possible.  

Smith was nominated by his unit, B-battery, 2-138^th Field Artillery Regiment, to represent them during the annual Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year board held in Djibouti, Africa, on May 17^th, 2013.

 “I knew I was facing some excellent competition and in order to be selected, I would really need to put in a lot of time and effort,” Smith said.  

The board consisted of each Battery 1^st Sgt. and the Command Sgt. Maj. asking a set of questions about numerous topics such as NCO history, 2-138^th lineage, artillery knowledge, and common Soldier skills.

 The NCOs were then scored on their knowledge, confidence, and military bearing. After several hours of waiting, Smith was informed he was selected for the title.

“It was a lot of work, but I am glad I competed,” said Smith after finding out the results of the board.

Sgt. 1^st Class Sean McCormick, readiness NCO for B-battery, deployed with Smith in 2007 to Iraq and remembers working with him.

“Smith has always spoken his mind and you can count on him to always give you an honest assessment of any situation. He is very hard working and dedicated to upholding the high standards of the NCO corps.”

Smith credits his leadership, senior NCOs, and higher education for his success and encourages younger Soldiers to take advantage of any opportunity available to further both their military and civilian education.

 

 

               

Kentucky National Guard Mechanics and Their African Colleagues Working and Training Together

 

Story and photos by Capt. Daniel Van Horn, 2-138th FAR PAO

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti – Preventative maintenance checks and services are the key to maintaining military vehicles used on a daily basis. The 12 mechanics that make up the Task Force Longrifles maintenance section are some of the most experienced in the Kentucky Army National Guard and collectively can diagnose and fix any problem on any military vehicle.

So it’s no surprise the Joint Forces Land Component Command assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa reached out to Task Force Longrifles to support a recent military-to-military engagement focused on how to conduct a PMCS with Djiboutian military mechanics. The maintenance section accepted the mission and provided two of their best mechanics to lead the class, Sgt. 1^st Class David Corbin from Lawrenceburg, Ky., and Staff Sgt. Michael Miers from Vine Grove, Ky.

Corbin has been an Army mechanic for 16 years and was assigned as the mission commander responsible for planning and coordinating the 3-day engagement. Miers served as assistant commander for the task, bringing 11 more years of professional mechanic experience.

Overall, the engagement began with introductions, handshakes, and a tour of the maintenance shop, followed by the group circling around a high mobility multi-wheeled vehicle to begin the first part of the PMCS class.

“About 45 minutes into the class, one of the Djiboutian mechanics began asking questions about transfer case exchange ratios,” Corbin said. “This was an extremely advanced question and took me by surprise. I suddenly realized that our class was way too basic for these guys and we would need to change the focus of our class immediately.”

Corbin and his team decided to ask the Djiboutian mechanics exactly what they wanted to know more about.

The team was surprised to learn that in 2005 the US government had provided three maintenance support devices to the Djiboutian military mechanics to help them troubleshoot and fix engine problems in their own HMMWVs. However, the group never received the proper training on how to effectively use the computers, so they just sat around in their shop collecting dust.

“We use the MSD computers every day, and they are an essential tool when it comes to working on our HMMWVs,” Miers said. “Teaching them (Djiboutian military) how to use these computers would make a lasting impact for their entire maintenance section and tremendously help them identify problems their vehicles are having.”

For their part, the Djiboutian soldiers were thrilled to learn how each computer worked and huddled around the device taking meticulous notes. After each question, Miers or Corbin would coach them through the process of using the MSD to correctly identify the problem.

“By the end of the first day we knew that this mission had already been a huge success,” Corbin said.

Warrant Officer Abdourazak Djibril, the Djiboutian chief mechanic was very glad for the interaction with the US mechanics.

“This mission has been very beneficial,” Djibril said. “I look forward to future partnerships where we can exchange more lessons about vehicle maintenance.”

At the conclusion of the mission, the Djiboutians were presented with graduation certificates and a joint picture of everyone standing together in front of a HMMWV.  

For Corbin though, it wasn’t just a picture. 

“It symbolized the many lessons we learned from each other and serves as a reminder of what we can do when we all work together.”

Task Force Longrifles Soldier of the Year’s Dream; Impact the Lives of Inner City Kids

Story by Sgt. Alexa Becerra

 

In almost every circle, teaching is considered one of the most noble of professions. Teachers work long hours, live on a modest salary, yet the impact they have on our collective future is immeasurable.

Another noble profession is that of a Soldier. They endure long hours, hardships, and separation from their families, also have a modest salary and are willing to give their lives for their country.

The dream of one young Kentucky man is to be both. Cpl. De’Marcus Hopson, a native of Madisonville, Ky., is a Kentucky National Guard Soldier from the 2138^th Forward Support Company. He is currently deployed to the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

He’s not just a Soldier; he was also selected as the Soldier of the Year for the 2-138^th Field Artillery Regiment, and is in the competition for Soldier of the Year for the State of Kentucky.

De’Marcus Hopson poses for a picture after graduating from WLC which was held here at Camp Lemonnnier, Djibouti. (Photo by Sgt. Alexa Becerra)

Hopson is also a full-time student at Kentucky State University, majoring in Secondary Social Studies Education with a double minor in African American Studies and Speech Communication.

“I plan on teaching at an inner city school,” said Hopson. “The military has a program called Troops to Teachers, where you have a commitment to teach at an inner city school for two to three years with military incentives, benefits and stipends.”

Although he will be participating in this program that requires Soldiers to teach at inner-city schools for a certain amount of time, Hopson said he has always wanted to teach at an inner-city school.

“I feel very strongly about teaching because growing up I didn’t see many male teachers. I can count the number of male teachers I had in my life on one hand,” said Hopson. “Also, to teach in an urban, poverty-stricken community you need to be able to connect with the kids. “

Hopson is very passionate about teaching at inner-city schools because he feels that he has what it takes to connect with those students because of his military background, and he also says that he does not have the middle-class mentality which most new teachers have and try to enforce when they teach inner-city students.

Hopson performs a dance with his fraternity, Alpa Phi Alpha, at KSU. (Courtesy photo)

Hopson is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and also plays in the Kentucky State University marching band. Known as the Mighty Marching Thoroughbred Band.

Furthermore, he is also a model Soldier. His father was in the military, and Hopson thought he would never join the military because his father was always gone on deployments. He said he initially joined the Guard to pay for school, but since he’s been in the reason for joining has changed.

“I believe that everybody should serve their country,” said Hopson. “This is a great opportunity to learn and grow, develop discipline and leadership skills, time management, and also get your school paid for.”

In regard to being selected as Soldier of the Year for the 2-138^th, Hopson spoke about the preparation process for the board.

“The board consisted of a wide array of questions, from military funeral procedures to weapons training,” said Hopson. “I had three sources I studied from: the battalion history packet, material from the Warrior Leader Course, and then the Army Board Packet as well.”

Hopson, second from left, is pictured here with his family. His father, first from left, served in the military for 21 years. (Courtesy photo)

Hopson was first selected for a company board out of his platoon for his outstanding leadership skills, military bearing, among other things such as physical fitness scores. He won that board, and then competed against the four other batteries in the battalion.

In addition to participating in these boards, and being a team leader providing security for the Ammunition Supply Point here at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Hopson also participated in the Warrior Leader Course held here.

“I really appreciate being able to go through the Warrior Leader Course while deployed,” said Hopson. “I learned a lot more about leadership abilities and skills, which will help me a lot in my military and civilian career.”

Hopson, the second out of six children, hopes to finish his school within the next year and a half, and also plans to stay in the Guard until retirement. He said he would recommend the Guard and the military in general, to anyone.

“The Guard allows me to serve my country and go to school at the same time,” said Hopson. “And it’s also helping me accomplish my dream of being a teacher.”

Burns, a former ‘Troubled Teen,’ Now Helps Young Men That Were Once Like Him

Story by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler                                     stephen.tressler@us.army.mil

Task Force Longrifles HHB 1^st Sgt. Robert Burns, a native of Atlanta, Ga., didn’t want to turn out like many of the guys he grew up with who were in “jail or dead” he says.  By his own admission, he was already in ‘the wrong crowd’ if he wanted succeed in life, and he knew it.  So, unlike many of his friends, he joined the Army, “they thought I was crazy” said Burns, “but looking back now, I know I was one of the lucky ones.”

Burns is grateful today for many reasons, his faith, his wife Ashley, his children, and the Army. When asked what the Army has done for him he responded exasperated with, “What hasn’t it done?! Travel, adventure, life-changing experiences, physical, mental and spiritual growth, just everything.”

So in 1999 when Burns was asked to join the Bluegrass Challenge Academy it was a perfect fit. The Bluegrass Challenge Academy was a part of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program which began as a ten-state pilot program in 1993 by an act of Congress. In 1998, following a comprehensive evaluation, Congress approved the Challenge program as a permanent program. Since then, the program has grown to include 33 sites in 27 states and Puerto Rico.

The program would also provide Burns a chance to make a difference in the lives of young men and women. Men and women coming from the type of environments that he was once a part of, at their age.  Burns was already volunteering time with at-risk youth in the community so this would be nothing new to him.

HHB 1st Sgt. Robert Burns helps troubled teens go from being boys to young men as a Bluegrass Challenge Academy instructor.

“When they get here (Bluegrass Challenge Academy) they don’t know what to expect, but after the first few weeks they begin to get it and you see their whole outlook change. They get structure, which they never had before and didn’t know they needed and it makes a huge difference in how they conduct themselves and work” said Burns.

If you go to the website for the Bluegrass Challenge Academy (NGYCP.org), it has a picture of one of the cadets climbing a wall with the tagline of “Everything they need to pull themselves up.” The program is offered free of charge to its voluntary-only participants.

Its mission, says Burns, is to “intervene in the lives of 16-18 year old high school dropouts, and help them develop life skills, continue their education, and instill self-discipline so they can become productive citizens.” The numbers on their website speak for themselves below:

• Over 54% of 2011 Challenge graduates received their high school diploma or GED.
• Over 47% joined the work force.
• 9% joined the military.
• Nearly 44% continued their education.
• Program participants have donated well over 5 million hours of community service during the program’s 16-year duration.
• Programs have awarded graduates nearly 50,000 academic credentials since 1993.
• Over 100,000 teens have graduated

For Burns though the best part of his job there, is seeing his Challenge Academy graduates here in Africa.  Ten of his former cadets became Soldiers and are all doing well here and that makes him proud of what he and his fellow instructors do for a living. They change lives everyday for the better, and those lives continue helping others.

The Bluegrass Challenge Academy is recognized as one of the nation’s most effective and cost efficient programs.

The Bluegrass Challenge Academy is recognized as one of the nation’s most effective and cost efficient programs for targeting youth who are at the greatest risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, delinquency, and criminal activity.

For Burns though, it’s been a chance to give back and stop young people from going down the same bad path that he was once on himself.

Besides Kentucky, other states which have the program already in place are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and even Puerto Rico.

OCS Instructor Joseph Sallee Leaves a ‘Major’ Mark on ‘His Soldiers’

Story by Capt. Daniel Van Horn                                           Daniel.B.Vanhorn.mil@mail.mil

Camp Lemonnier, DJIBOUTI – If you’ve ever wondered what a typical weekend is like for National Guard Soldiers attending Officer Candidate School (OCS), simply watch an episode of the History Channels’ “Surviving the Cut: Ranger School” and multiply the amount of exercise in the episode by a factor of 10.

OCS is one weekend a month for 18 months and a two-week summer session that combines for one huge course of instruction. It’s conducted every two years from March to August of the following year at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center (WHFRTC), in Central City, Ky.

After completing the course the candidates have earned the title of 2^nd Lieutenant and are commissioned as an officer during the ‘pinning ceremony.’ The school is both mentally and physically exhausting and is designed to stress candidates to the maximum, so if they are ever in combat they will have learned how to work through the stress and still be able to lead as well.

The course is managed by the 238^th Training Battalion which provides Train, Assess, Counsel (TAC) Officers from around the state to oversee each OCS class from start to finish.

Of all the Task Force Longrifles officers currently in the battalion, 23 have completed OCS, and many of them can tell you about 1 TAC officer in particular, Major Joseph Sallee. Sallee, a native of Lexington, Ky., has been in the National Guard for 26 years and will tell you that the fondest memories of his career were while he was a TAC instructor for OCS.

“I loved being a TAC instructor because we were working with the best and brightest the Kentucky National Guard had to offer. Sure the hours were long, but nothing is more rewarding than to see the Soldiers you have mentored for 18 months graduate and pin on their butter bar.” He continued, “Soldiers to this day come up to me and tell me how proud they were to have gone through the program and complete it, how tough it was.”

12 Officers with Task Force Longrifles team up to ‘order’ their former OCS instructor do push-ups, here at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti in Africa. Photo by Sgt. Alexa Becerra, 2-138th PAO

In addition to his requirements with the National Guard, Sallee is also a Lexington Police Department veteran with over 14 years of experience and attributes much of his success in the military to his time with the department.

1^st Lt. Oscar Ortiz, a native of Bowling Green, Ky., and graduate of the OCS 51-09 class recalls seeing Sallee as his TAC instructor for the first time while he was bear-crawling around the ‘Tree of Woe’ (ask any OCS candidate about this for more information).

“Maj. Sallee stopped by and asked for volunteers to lead a senior OCS group on a 2-mile run, since anything was better than the current situation, I immediately volunteered.”

Ortiz remembers that out of all the TAC instructors he was by far the strictest, “He never allowed you to take a shortcut and that has stayed with me throughout my career.”

Brothers Launch Surprise Attack…….on Mom?

Story by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler                                                Stephen.tressler@us.army.mil

Camp Lemmonier, DJIBOUTI – Picture this if you will; you’re an American teenager and you join the Army National Guard during the heat of two wars in 2006, with Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively.Your mother, although proud of you, is still your mother, and she is worried.

At least she still has her baby in the house, your little brother, he’s a freshman in high school.

Three years pass and both wars are still raging, and your little brother, the baby, is no longer a baby and he graduates high school and joins the Marine Corps.

What’s a mother to do? Pray? Worry? Hope? All of the above?

It wasn’t easy for Deloris Carta, mother to Sgt. George Sanchez of the Kentucky National Guard and US Marine Cpl. Eddie Tapia. Not every mother is excited when their son or daughter comes home from school one day and says that they’re going to join the military….especially during war time.

Sanchez and Tapia grew up together in Laredo, Texas and attended Gateway Academy High School. After six years in the Texas National Guard, changes in Sanchez’s life led him to Kentucky, where he decided to stay in the military. So he did what is called an intrastate transfer from the Texas National Guard to the Kentucky National Guard.

During the same time frame his younger brother Eddie, 3 years his junior, joined the Marine Corps. They hadn’t seen each other in almost four years.

US Marine Cpl. Eddie Tapia and his brother, Kentucky National Guard Soldier Sgt. George Sanchez. Photo provided by Sgt. George Sanchez.

So imagine Sgt. Sanchez’s surprise while deployed here in Africa with the Kentucky National Guard, and you some guy walks out of the ‘internet shed’ and it’s his brother he haven’t seen in four years!

“It was crazy man, I saw him standing there and said to myself ‘that guy looks just like my brother’” said Sanchez “and then we made eye contact and I was like ‘holy crap’ that is my brother!”

Tapia explained that the US Naval ship he was on had made an unexpected stop in Djibouti. Sanchez couldn’t have been happier! The brothers gave each other a big hug and did some ‘catching-up.’

Then the brothers, one a Soldier and the other a Marine, launched a surprise mission together.

Their mother hadn’t seen either one of them in a almost three years due to deployments and mobilizations. So Sanchez contacted his mom on Skype and told her that he saw Eddie.She was both excited and sad. She was happy he was OK, but wished she could’ve seen him on skype as well. She then told Sanchez to tell his brother if he sees him again that, ‘Mom loves you very much and misses you!’ That’s when Sanchez told his mom, “tell him yourself.” Just then Eddie stepped in front of the webcam and the mother who hadn’t seen either one in person in over three years, had them both together and in front of her for the first time in six years.

Like any mother, she cried tears of joy. Mom was overwhelmed and elated, the brothers were safe and happy, and they’d both be home soon to see her.

Mission accomplished.

From Oldest Brother to Youngest Soldier

Story by Sgt. Alexa Becerra                                                              May 7, 2013

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti – At the age of 17, teenagers face many challenges. They are close to graduating high school, they are looking at potential colleges, and are also about to hit the magic age of 18 when they are considered adults.

That wasn’t the case for Pfc. Michael Sweeney.

Sweeney,  a Burlington, Ky. native, at age 17, had already enlisted in the Kentucky National Guard. He had recently graduated with his GED from Bluegrass Challenge Academy, a school run by the National Guard designed to train and mentor selected at-risk youth to become contributing members of society.

PFC Michael Sweeney, a Burlington, Ky. native, is the youngest Soldier out of more than 500 Kentucky National Guard Soldiers deployed here to Africa. Photo provided by the Sweeney Family.

“I had always wanted to be in the military because of my father who is a Desert Storm veteran and my role model,” said Sweeney. “Civilian school just wasn’t for me.”

After receiving his GED, Sweeney set off for Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training to become a Cannon Crewmember (13B) in the National Guard. He returned to Kentucky in April of 2012, and shortly after arriving to his new unit he received news about their upcoming deployment.

“I expected to deploy when I joined the Guard, but I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be so soon, “said Sweeney.

His case was a bit different than others; he was still 17 years old. He would turn 18 only a few days before the deployment.

“My squad leader sat me down and talked to me about the deployment,” said Sweeney. “He asked me if I was still willing to go, and when I said yes he let me know that if I had any questions I could ask him or any of the other Soldiers since most of them had deployed before.”

From that day on, Sweeney became the ‘Baby of the Battery’ and the ‘Baby of the Battalion’. He is the youngest of more than 500 Soldiers deployed here to the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“It has been different being the youngest,” said Sweeney. “At home I was the oldest out of four, and now I am the youngest out of the battalion.”

He said that his fellow Soldiers have been great mentors to him and they are always willing to give him advice or answer his questions.

“The guys here have all taken me under their wing, and have helped me become a better Soldier and hopefully a better person,” said Sweeney.

Sweeney said he has had many opportunities to learn about different cultures by volunteering in the local community and also from going on a well-drilling mission in Ethiopia.

“This deployment has made me truly appreciate what I have back home, people here don’t have much but they make the most of it,” said Sweeney.

Sweeney has decided to attend Diesel Mechanic School upon his return home, and plans to stay at least 20 years in the Guard.

“This deployment has been overall a great learning experience for me, and I have made lifelong friends and mentors,” said Sweeney.

Kentucky National Guard Soldiers Share Best Practices in Mauritius

Story by Sgt. Alexa Becerra                                                           May 2, 2013

MAURITIUS – Three Kentucky National Guard Soldiers from the 2-138^th Field Artillery Regiment, currently deployed in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, recently conducted a military-to-military engagement in Mauritius.

Overall, the purpose of the engagement was to familiarize their Special Mobile Forces with our best practices and share techniques used in urban search and rescue operations in order to increase the capabilities of first responders and to enhance partner-nation relationships.

 

“We were able to rehash what they had already been trained on, yet at the same time we were able to share with them our method of responding to events such as natural or manmade disasters, accidents, and incidents,” said Lt. Col. Rob Larkin, commander of the 2-138^th and a native of Maysville, Ky.

“From our stand point, this mission also provided us a baseline to know what kind of detailed knowledge we can provide for them in the future,” Larkin added.

All three Kentucky National Guard Soldiers that participated in this engagement are firefighters and paramedics in their civilian careers, with over 60 years of combined experience in the field.

 Lt. Col. Phil Honican, an artillery officer in the 2-138^th and a native of Lexington, Ky., was mission commander for this exchange and said he was very excited to be able to apply his civilian skill-set to help increase operational and institutional capabilities with East African partner nations.

By and large, the training consisted of classroom instruction on incident command functions, scene size-up safety, structural collapse rescue awareness, search and rescue techniques, shoring basics, and medical triage and treatment. The Mauritian forces also practiced hands-on methods to apply the new techniques.

“They are a very capable force; it was a very good exchange of information,” said Sgt. 1^st Class Jonathon Towles, a cavalry scout attached to the 2-138^th and native of Corsicana, Tx.  “This mission provided the Mauritian forces with a unique skill set and capability that the US has brought to the table, and I believe it would be beneficial to both nations to continue to work together in depth,” said Towles.

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jonathon Towles

 In addition, both militaries were able to share lessons learned from past experiences that helped contribute to the Mauritius Disaster Response Plan.

 From here on, both nations look forward to continuing this relationship and sharing knowledge to enhance their capabilities.

 The mission ended with a sense of partnership and mutual respect,” said Towles.

The ‘African’ Kentucky Derby Party is Ready and in the Gate!

Story by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler                                        stephen.tressler@us.army.mil

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti –The ‘going-away’ ceremony for the Kentucky National Guard’s Task Force Longrifles held at the Franfort Civic Center is now more than 8 months old. So with just weeks seperating these Soldiers from their loved ones, some of them are starting to get restless, and rightfully so.

The good news is it’s time for the running of the 139^th Kentucky Derby, the annual ‘Run for the Roses,’ or as the world knows it; “the most exciting two minutes in sports!” (Officially the Derby Festival lasts for two weeks.)

The running of the 139th Kentucky Derby is this Saturday, May 4th, 2013 at Churchhill Downs  in Louisville, Ky. (pictured above). Photo courtesy of Churchhill Downs.

That may not mean a lot in your neck of the woods but to most of us Kentuckians it’s a big deal. It’s the one week a year that Kentucky is on display for the entire world to see. The Derby used to be a much smaller event and represented just the first race in attaining the Triple Crown, but now it’s an international event.

With heads of state, billionaire sheiks, world class athletes, movie stars, even Queen Elizabeth II made a visit in 2007.

However, Soldiers from Kentucky will tell you it’s, ‘fast horses, hearing ‘My Old Kentucky Home’, big hats, beautiful women, and fast horses.’

Since the Kentucky Derby has become such a big event all over the world, the Kentucky National Guard Soldiers here have decided to host a Kentucky Derby party for the servicemembers and support staff here at Camp Lemmonier in Djibouti, Africa.

Task Force Longrifles Commander Lt. Col. Rob Larkin assigned the HHB Executive Officer 1^st Lt. Logan Weiler the mission.

The official “African Kentucky Derby” flyer created by the Task Force Longrifles Public Affairs section.

Weiler has charged ahead and has created an event fit for the occasion! Weilers’ even found a corporate sponsor, Harley-Davidson, to offset the costs and to donate prizes for the event as well.

Every race on Derby day will have a prize give-away, there will also be a prize given to the male and female wearing the most creative hat. Weiler said, “It should be a lot of fun, plus it will be neat to showcase an event like this that highlights our great commonwealth.”

Everyone here agrees. The camp is already buzzing about the Kentucky Derby Party on Saturday.

Predictions? Says here Goldencents is the winner!

But it’s a horse race, right?

The races here will begin around 6pm and the running of the actual Kentucky Derby scheduled for 6:24 EST, will be watched live here at 1:24am on Sunday, May 5^th.

“I’m blessed to be an American Soldier”

Story by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler                                        stephen.tressler@us.army.mil

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti –Spc. Ashley Craig, a Louisville, Ky., native, didn’t grow up dreaming of being a Soldier one day. As a matter of fact, serving in the military was the last thing she thought she would be doing after high school.

However, after dropping out of college, because of too much fun (sound familiar?), she felt stuck in a routine that she feared would last a lifetime. “I didn’t want to live my life getting up, going to work and coming home. I wanted to be, see, and do more with myself” said Craig.

Here, Louisville native and Task Force Longrifles Soldier, Spc. Ashley Craig walks the streets of Rome, Italy, in December, 2012. A trip she says she was able to make because of her service in the Kentucky National Guard and serving in Djibouti. Photo courtesy of the Craig Family.

So, looking for a challenge, she joined the Kentucky National Guard. “It was a way for me to get more life experience and college money and just do something very different than all of my friends” said Craig.

Different indeed, she has been living here in Africa for the better part of a year now.

“My mom (Shownda Craig) was more nervous than I was. She kept asking me ‘are you sure you want to do this?’” said Craig, and I would say “yes, I’m sure!”  After basic and AIT (Advanced Individual Training) even my mom could see the change, “She said she could see how much it matured me and she was so proud of me” said Craig.

Although her stepdad Walter Hancock, a Navy veteran himself who’s face resembles that of Navy war hero Dorie Miller, had served for 12 years, she said her inspiration was to see the world and be different.

How different is she now? 3 Continents and five countries later different, Craig is now a world traveler.

The 23-year-old now knows, what she didn’t know 3 years ago, she is blessed to be living in the United States, and blessed to be an American Soldier. “I will never again complain about anything at home (in the US), we are spoiled” (in the US) says Craig.

No argument here.

The next step for her when she returns home is going back the University of Louisville, joining the ROTC and completing her nursing degree.

Spc. Ashley Craig during mobilization training at Camp Atterbury, Ind. Photo courtesy of the Craig Family.

“My goal is to be a medical officer in the Kentucky National Guard. I may not ever be a *Diane Lindsay, but I will always give it my best!” says Craig.

After listening to Craig talk excitedly about her future, you come away feeling she will do anything she sets her mind to because she takes nothing for granted anymore.

 *Author’s Note: Diane Lindsay of the 95th Evacuation Hospital, was the first black nurse to receive the Soldier’s Medal of Heroism.