Category Archives: soldier of the week

Soldier of the Week – CPT Juan Guerrero

Posted on May 17, 2011 by CJ| 2 Comments


After competing at the inaugural Warrior Games last year, Capt. Juan Guerrero took home the gold medal in the 10-meter air rifle shooting event. This week, the Soldier will return to the competition with even higher goals – he hopes to be named the Ultimate Warrior by accruing the most points in a pentathlon-style event.

Eight months ago Guerrero’s right leg was amputated, but recently he was fitted with a prosthetic leg that allows him to walk and even run. Determined to be in prime condition for the event, Guerrero has dedicated himself to a rigorous training program over the last several months.

“Since I still have some residual pain from my amputation surgery, I think that the 100-meter run will probably be the toughest event for me,” he said. “But the Warrior Games have been a great motivator for me to keep training no matter what.”

That same sense of determination sustained Guerrero through three deployments to Iraq. During his most recent deployment, he served with the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division (Airborne), and was in charge of leading a team of nearly two dozen Soldiers.

In June 2007, Guerrero was out on a mission with his team when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated under their Humvee. True to his role as a leader, Guerrero thought of the safety of the other Soldiers in his vehicle, despite his own injuries.

“My main concern was for my driver and my gunner. There was a lot of smoke in the vehicle, but once I determined that they were okay, I realized that I was wounded,” he said. “My legs felt like they were on fire and once my Soldiers were able to get me out of the vehicle, I saw my right leg and realized it was bad.”

Shrapnel from the IED blast shattered the bones in Guerrero’s right tibia, and much of his right calf and left heel were damaged in the explosion. He was immediately evacuated to Baghdad, Iraq, for emergency surgery on his leg, and later moved to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., where he spent more than four months recovering and undergoing multiple skin grafts to help repair his right leg.

Yet, the pain in his leg was so persistent and severe that Guerrero made the decision to have his right leg amputated below the knee last September. As he enters a new phase in his recovery process, Guerrero is grateful to have the added goal of competing in the second annual Warrior Games – and winning the Ultimate Champion title.

“From seeing the competition that was there last year, I know it’s going to be a tough crowd, but I’m focused on my own goals,” he said. “I want to defend my shooting title, but I intend to do well in the other events, too.”

Currently, the Soldier lives with his wife and three children in the San Antonio, Texas area, and he is continuing to recover at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

To learn more about the Warrior Games, please visit http://www.usparalympics.org/pages/8330 and http://www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/warriorgames.html. Additionally, to learn more about the Warrior Transition Command and its commitment to adaptive sports, please visit http://wtc.armylive.dodlive.mil/.

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Soldier of the Week – SFC Justin Minyard

Posted on May 14, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment


Next week, more than 200 Wounded Warriors will compete at the second annual Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., in hopes of bringing home medals and honors for athleticism in running, cycling, swimming, shot put, shooting, volleyball and basketball. These events provide Wounded Warriors with an opportunity to put their physical abilities and stamina to the test.

One such athlete, Sgt. 1st Class Justin Minyard, who has degenerative disc disease, is participating in his first Warrior Games. While he was in a wheelchair for one year following his deployment to Iraq in 2008, he has since set the wheelchair aside and incorporated adaptive cycling into his recovery plan. The activity challenges him to push his physical limits and helped him learn to walk again. Minyard looks forward to demonstrating his newfound cycling endurance and skill at the games.

When a severe back injury forced Sgt. 1st Class Justin Minyard to take medical leave and return early from his deployment to Iraq, doctors told him that he could be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life due to degenerative disc disease. That was in 2008. Today, Minyard is not only able to walk again, but he is actively training to compete in a 20-kilometer recumbent cycling race next week at the second annual Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Minyard first injured his back nearly a decade ago while serving as a first responder to the recovery effort at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2011. Despite chronic back pain, he still deployed twice to the Middle East.

In 2007-2008, while serving his second tour overseas as a platoon sergeant in Iraq, Minyard led a group of more than 40 Soldiers on intelligence reconnaissance missions. But nearly a year into his 15-month deployment, he reinjured his back. The extent of the damage left him unable to walk and he returned home. Despite the early redeployment, he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service throughout his tour.

For the Soldier, who felt a deep commitment to his unit, not finishing his deployment was exceptionally difficult.

“We were a very close platoon in Iraq. Being with the same guys, 24 hours a day, caused us to develop really tightknit relationships,” he said. “Even though some of the stuff we did wasn’t fun, I enjoyed being there with those guys. It was much more like a family than just being at work.”

Minyard underwent multiple surgeries to replace several of his spinal discs with titanium substitutes. The pain was so excruciating that he received an internal spinal cord simulator, which sends electrical impulses to his brain in order to mitigate some of the pain signals.

After spending nearly a year in a wheelchair, he was encouraged to consider adaptive cycling to assist in his rehabilitation.

“We didn’t know at the time if cycling would help my ability to walk,” he said. “It was really more about getting out and becoming active,” he said. “But cycling really helped me mentally and physically. Along with a ton of physical therapy, I was able to use the wheelchair less and less.”

At first, cycling was a tremendous challenge for Minyard, and even a short ride would leave him exhausted and in a great deal of pain. But he was determined to persevere and began to participate in Ride 2 Recovery cycling races with other wounded service members. Soon, he was hooked on the sport and began to cycle competitively. During one event, Minyard learned about the Warrior Games and set a new goal for himself: to compete in Colorado Springs.

“I was on a Ride 2 Recovery race and all of the sudden another guy on a bike flew past me. It turned out he had won a gold medal at the Warrior Games for cycling and was going on to the Paralympics,” he said. “Competing in the Warrior Games seemed like the next step in my own recovery, and I began training immediately.”

After training for nearly a year, Minyard is looking forward to competing in the Warrior Games next week.

“The Warrior Games feel like the next step in my recovery,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be challenged and to ride on the same track that Olympians ride on along with other wounded service members. It’s a chance to compete on the next level and race against some of the best cyclists in the military.”

Minyard lives in Fayetteville, N.C., with his wife and daughter, and both will accompany him to the Warrior Games. After what Minyard hopes will be a successful ride in Colorado Springs, he plans to begin training for the Paralympics.

To learn more about the Warrior Games, please visit http://www.usparalympics.org/pages/8330 and http://www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/warriorgames.html. Additionally, to learn more about the Warrior Transition Command and its commitment to adaptive sports, please visit http://wtc.armylive.dodlive.mil/.

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Soldier of the Week – SFC Landon Ranker

Posted on May 3, 2011 by CJ| 2 Comments

After leaving last year’s Warrior Games with two gold medals, Sgt. 1st Class Landon Ranker is returning this year with a new goal. Next month, he’ll be vying for the title of “Ultimate Champion,” an honor awarded to the competitor who accumulates the most points in a decathlon-style event.

For Ranker, the Warrior Games are more than a chance to prove his own athletic abilities; they also represent an opportunity to be surrounded by other brave Wounded Warriors who do not let their injuries hold them back.

“All the athletes competing at the Warrior Games are there because they’re doing something that a lot of injured people think they can’t do,” he said. “It’s very inspirational to be around all the other Wounded Warriors out there. You see what other people do who have so many more strikes against them – it makes you want to go out and climb Mount Everest.”

Encouraged by his fellow Wounded Warriors, Ranker is grateful for the chance to compete at the Warrior Games and prove that wounded, ill and injured service members are capable of achieving extraordinary physical feats.

“Just because you’re injured doesn’t mean you can’t be active and competitive,” he said. “The Warrior Games are an opportunity for me to specifically showcase what a person with multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can accomplish. You can still push the envelope, but you just have to learn how to do it differently.”

Between 2003 and 2008, Ranker deployed to the Middle East three times and on each tour he suffered a TBI, necessitating his early return to the United States. The accumulated effects of these injuries caused permanent damage to Ranker’s memory, balance, and information processing abilities, resulting in both physical and cognitive challenges for him.

“Physically, I have a hard time walking in a straight line, and I can’t run in a straight line,” he said. “Cognitively, I’m like a computer with an old processor – at times, I just can’t make sense of a lot of information at once.”

Ranker now serves in a leadership role with the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he continues to undergo intensive rehabilitation and therapy at a specialty TBI clinic. Throughout his military career that spans nearly two decades, Ranker has received both the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart as a result of his service overseas.

Although his sights are set on the Warrior Games for now, he hopes the competition next month will prepare him for additional athletic challenges later this year.

“I’m focusing on Warrior Games now, but after that, I’m going to start training for a marathon. Hopefully I’ll be running a marathon by the end of October, and then I’m going to work toward a triathlon,” Ranker said.

To learn more about the Warrior Games, please visit http://www.usparalympics.org/pages/8330 and http://www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/warriorgames.html. Additionally, to learn more about the Warrior Transition Command and its commitment to adaptive sports, please visit http://wtc.armylive.dodlive.mil/.

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Soldier of the Week – CPL David Bixler

Posted on April 29, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

The motto of the 101st Airborne Division “Everyone fights, nobody quits,” represented more than a catch phrase to Cpl. David Bixler. The words embodied the spirit of bravery and perseverance he displayed last fall when he and his comrades came under enemy fire in Afghanistan. Currently recovering from combat injuries at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the motto continues to inspire Bixler throughout his rehabilitation.

While deployed to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Bixler was on a routine mission that was suddenly derailed by an enemy attack.

“The entire horizon in front of us seemed to explode into a frenzy of machine gun fire,” he said. “We were pinned down into a ditch just on the other side of the dirt mound we had climbed up after crossing that canal. We could only manage to get a handful of Soldiers in decent fighting positions.”

As a team leader, Bixler was responsible for five of his comrades, including three Afghan National Army (ANA) Soldiers. When he realized that one of the ANA Soldiers had separated from the team, he tried to warn him of the danger. Bixler feared that a hidden improvised explosive device (IED) would detonate, injuring the group. When the Soldier did not respond, Bixler took swift action.

“I hauled up the dirt mound to pull him back to safety,” he said. “At that moment, I stepped backwards and wide in order to regain my balance, and that’s when I stepped on the pressure plate.”

The ANA Soldier sustained only minor wounds, but the explosion left Bixler with severe injuries, resulting in the loss of both legs.

Despite the extent of his injuries, Bixler is thankful to be alive crediting his fellow Soldiers with saving his life.

“The training that we had gone through really paid off that day,” he said. “My guys’ responses saved my life. We practiced how to get out of a combat zone after an attack. They knew that you need to finish the firefight first and then you could provide aid to wounded Soldiers.”

In addition to the actions of his team, Bixler also knows that his personal protective equipment shielded him from further injury.

“My personal protective equipment saved my life,” he said. “The IED shredded the gloves off my hands, but had I not worn them, I would have lost my fingers. My glasses and helmet blocked shrapnel from going into my eyes. And I wore ear protection, which saved most of my hearing.”

Bixler uses his story to encourage other Soldiers to take their safety seriously – even if the gear seems cumbersome.

“You need to keep wearing the gear, even if it is annoying,” he said. “It can save your livelihood and, in some cases, your life.”

Bixler’s valorous actions on the battlefield drew the attention senior leadership. Maj. Gen. John Campbell, the commander of the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell, Ky., personally presented Bixler with the Silver Star Medal and Purple Heart in a bedside ceremony at Walter Reed.

Having recently been fitted for prosthetic legs, Bixler is learning to walk again. But for now, the Soldier has a more immediate goal – being there when the rest of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team returns home.

“The rest of my unit will return from Afghanistan in a few weeks, and I want to walk to meet them when they get off the plane,” he said. “I want to be able to greet them on my feet, to show them that I am alive. And most importantly, tell them that I have no regrets.”

Living without regrets is something that has characterized Bixler’s military service from the start. As a high-school student, he watched the events of Sept. 11, 2001 unfold, and was moved to join the Army and defend his country.

“I didn’t want to be a citizen in a country I wasn’t willing to fight for,” he said. “Had I not enlisted, I would have regretted it.”

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Soldiers of the Week – SGTs David Palczewski, Fernando Franco, and SSG Jennifer Pitts

Posted on April 19, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

SGT David PalczewskiSGT Fernando FrancoSSG Jennifer Pitts

On Thursday as the Army Reserve marks its 103rd anniversary, nearly 60 Warrior Citizens will reaffirm their commitment to protect and defend the United States during the sixth annual National Capitol Reenlistment Ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, the Chief of the Army Reserve, will administer the oath of enlistment to these Soldiers who represent the more than 206,000 Reservists who answer the call to duty, balancing civilian careers and military service.

Sgt. David Palczewski, Sgt. Fernando Franco and Staff Sgt. Jenniffer Pitts are just three of those dedicated Citizen Soldiers being honored.

“The military really helped to prepare me for my civilian occupation,” said Palczewski, who works for the U.S. Border Patrol in addition to serving in the Army Reserve. “Coming into my job with the Border Patrol, I was already familiar with how to work with a team to accomplish the mission, in addition to weapon handling and equipment training.”

When he deployed to Afghanistan in 2005-2006 with the 316th Postal Company, Palczewski worked hard to ensure that incoming and outgoing mail operations ran smoothly, a role critical to upholding Soldier morale. Now with the 104th Training Division’s unit at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Palczewksi provides land navigation and geospatial training to cadets and future officers. These varied military roles helped prepare Palczewski for the demands of his civilian career.

“The Army has taught me how to work hard and manage my time well,” he said. “I love being part of the organization and the camaraderie between Soldiers that it brings,” he said.

For Franco, that bond of solidarity among Soldiers saved his life. While deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq in 2002-2003, Franco was attacked by a detainee at the facility where he and his unit were responsible for detainee operations. His comrades quickly came to his aid.

“During a routine meal distribution, a group of detainees started a riot and one of them attacked me with a tent pole,” he said. “In the chaos, he managed to corner me, and as I dodged to avoid the weapon, two warning shots were fired. Finally, a third shot was fired by my comrade, killing the detainee and saving my life.”

Knowing his fellow guards will defend him is paramount, as Franco also works as a civilian law enforcement officer with the state of California. He is able to apply lessons learned as a Soldier to be a better civilian employee.

“My military experience has really helped me to excel above others in my field, particularly when it comes to being proficient with a firearm,” he said. “Beyond that, Army values, such as discipline, honor, and integrity, have aided me in the scope of my duties as a civilian.”

While Franco performs similar duties both in and out of uniform, Pitts works to support the Army Reserve both roles. She works fulltime as a civilian for the Army in addition to serving as a noncommissioned officer.

While deployed to Kuwait, she served as a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist and was the commander’s liaison with the 17th Signal Battalion. She currently serves as the unit administrator for the 374th Chemical Company and is responsible for completing a variety of technical, analytical and advisory tasks.

For Pitts, military service is all in the family. Many of her immediate and extended family including her husband have served in uniform. When they both were on active duty, the couple was deployed together to Iraq. Pitts later made the decision to transition to the Army Reserve in 2008 in order to start a family.

“I didn’t want to leave the military completely, so I joined the Army Reserve to still serve my country,” she said.

She and her husband welcomed a daughter last year and Pitts hopes that her daughter will someday take advantage of the opportunities that the military has to offer.

“You join the military to serve your country; that’s the bottom line,” she said. “Everyone is volunteering here. I’ve gone to war and I’m willing to go again. I just want to do my part.”

The National Capitol Reenlistment Ceremony gives the Army Reserve an opportunity to recognize these and other exemplary Soldiers who choose to continue their commitment to serve their country.

For additional information about the sixth annual National Capitol Reenlistment Ceremony, please visit http://stayarmyreserve.wordpress.com/events/2011_qolfr_ncrc/, and to learn more about the Army Reserve, visit http://www.usar.army.mil.

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Soldier of the Week – Col. Michael Herman

Posted on April 18, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

In 2009, the Army asked Col. Michael Herman to serve as the Senior Advisor and Coalition Commanding Officer at the Consolidated Fielding Center (CFC) in Afghanistan, and he readily answered the call to serve. An officer with the South Dakota National Guard for nearly 30 years and as the battalion commander for the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at South Dakota State University, he was well versed in training and mobilizing large groups of Soldiers for duty.

“I chose to deploy because I wanted to do my part in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,” he said. “I wanted to focus on Afghanistan because that’s where my expertise is, and I had spent much of my military career training Soldiers. It was the perfect fit.”

Prior to his deployment, Herman served as the professor of military science at South Dakota State University, teaching the next generation of cadets, officers and Soldiers. His organizational dexterity and experience in training new troops would prove essential overseas, where he was faced with an enormous new challenge.

When Herman first arrived at the CFC, there were very few training personnel on the ground and equipment was sparse. Under his leadership, however, that quickly changed. Over the course of 15 months, Herman supervised 68 Afghan National Army (ANA) units comprised of more than 29,000 Afghan troops. His experience as an officer was critical when it came to teaching ANA Soldiers both technical and leadership skills.

“Working closely with the Afghan Soldiers was very rewarding,” he said. “Though many of them had no military experience, they were eager to learn all they could from us. They wanted to be independent and able to secure their own borders.”

Stationed at Camp Blackhorse in eastern Afghanistan, Herman spent his days traveling between forward operating bases, meeting with top coalition force leaders and Afghan officials to discuss soldier mobilization strategy. He also had the opportunity to work directly with the Afghan troops being trained.

“My deployment allowed me to experience a broad spectrum of relationships,” he said. “My command sergeant major was from Nepal and one of my training officers was from Scotland. The day-to-day interaction with the coalition Soldiers who hailed from more than 15 countries as well as working with the ANA Soldiers was extremely rewarding.”

Shortly before returning home last fall, Herman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and exemplary leadership throughout his deployment. Though he initially committed to a year-long deployment, Herman agreed to stay an additional three months to complete the mission. By the time he returned stateside, he left behind more than 140,000 trained and mobilized Afghan troops – clearly exceeding the original goal of 134,000.

Now at home in Rapid City, S.D., Herman continues to serve the South Dakota National Guard as a human resources officer. He plans to retire from the Army this fall, and looks forward to spending more time with his family, including his new grandson.

“I am going to miss this occupation immensely,” he said. “I can’t think of a better profession than being a Soldier and an officer.”

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Soldier of the Week – SPC Levi Meyer

Posted on April 14, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

While still in high school, Spc. Levi Meyer worked part-time as a ski patroller at a nearby mountain resort in his home state of Montana. Often the first responder to accidents, he learned how to provide emergency medical care to injured skiers.

What started as a weekend job soon became a passion for Meyer. After graduating from high school, he knew he wanted to pursue a medical career, but was unsure about committing to college and medical school right away. He eventually chose an alternate route and enlisted in the Army as a medic.

“Back in high school, I really liked to ski, and I saw the ski patrollers and how they take care of people who got hurt,” he said. “I admired how the patrollers were able to rely on their wits and what they had with them to take care of people. I have a lot of respect for that.”

Transitioning from the slopes to the frontlines, Meyer deployed to Iraq last year with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team. As a combat medic, he provided first aid and trauma care to his fellow Soldiers, often relying solely on the supplies that he was able to carry with him on mission.

While deployed, Meyer’s time was divided between attending to patients in the aid station on base and accompanying his unit on missions. Traveling with his unit through dangerous territory in search of roadside bombs, risks ran high. In the event of an attack, it was Meyer’s responsibility to stabilize his comrade and arrange for the Soldier to be evacuated to a medical facility as quickly as possible. Despite the enormous pressure that his role demanded, Meyer found his job to be extremely rewarding.

“I like helping Soldiers,” he said. “You get lots of hands-on experience. I enjoy knowing that occasionally I get to make a difference in somebody’s life.”

Aspiring to advance in the military medical field, Meyer is in the process of applying for the Army’s Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP). Overseas, physician assistants take on many of the same duties as regular physicians; beyond everyday first-aid, they are responsible for performing advanced procedures on their wounded comrades.

“Enrolling in the IPAP could help me get all the prerequisites I need for medical school down the road,” he said. “I have the opportunity to work with Soldiers and at the same time get an education that will benefit my future.”

Meyer is currently stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. with the 82nd Airborne Division. In the future, he hopes to enroll in medical school and eventually become a neurologist.

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Soldier of the Week – SPC Dawn Rogler

Posted on April 10, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

As a child, Spc. Dawn Rogler looked forward to the day when she could serve in the military, just like her grandfather. So when she realized that her civilian desk job wasn’t everything she hoped it would be, she decided to enlist in the Army.

“My grandfather always told me stories about the Army when I was growing up,” she said. “I’m proud to be a Soldier because I know I’m helping not only my family, but multiple families by fighting this war overseas so it doesn’t happen on our own land – and that makes me proud.”

Now just two years later, Rogler has embraced her role in the Army and is committed to doing her best to support her comrades.

While deployed to Afghanistan last year as a truck driver with the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, she consistently went beyond the call of duty to ensure that her vehicle was mission-ready, even waking up hours before her fellow Soldiers. After making sure her vehicle, radios and weapons were ready to go, she spent the remainder of her day running delivery loads to infantry units located in remote areas of the country. Transporting some of the most essential necessities to other bases, Rogler was often greeted with enthusiasm.

“When we convoyed to bases where Soldiers were out of supplies like food and water, it was rewarding to see their faces and how happy they were to see us come through the gate,” she said. “The deployment was a great opportunity in the sense that it was a life experience. Most people don’t get the chances I’ve had.”

Even facing challenges during the deployment, Rogler remained focused on the mission at hand and the positive opportunities the Army has provided.

“It had its rough days,” she explained. “But it wasn’t that bad.”

After returning from Afghanistan last August, Rogler married a fellow Soldier.

“We deployed at the same time, so we can relate to the experience of being overseas,” she said. “We understand each other, especially when things at work are tough. We know how to help one another be a better Soldier.”

In the coming weeks, her husband will be transferred to a new unit stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. Although they will be apart much of the time, she knows that their marriage will be strengthened by military service.

Rogler is now stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., where she serves as the driver for the battalion sergeant major.

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Soldier of the Week – CPT Andrew Fisher

Posted on April 6, 2011 by CJ| 4 Comments

The care and safety of fellow Soldiers is the responsibility of all Army medics. But Capt. Andrew Fisher has taken that commitment one step farther; doing everything he can to help fellow Rangers, even at the risk of his own life.

While serving in Afghanistan last year as the physician assistant assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, one event in particular put his courage under fire to the test.

Out on a mission the night of May 31, 2010, Fisher was securing a rooftop when his unit was struck by enemy fire. Shortly after the firefight began, several Rangers were hit by enemy fire and trapped on the roof of the building. Without regard for his own safety, Fisher rushed to aid the wounded Soldiers, even though they remained under heavy enemy fire.

Fisher was hit as soon as he reached the rooftop, but his protective armor stopped the bullet from piercing too deeply. Despite his injury, he continued to provide medical care until all the wounded Soldiers were treated and evacuated from the area. Only then did he tend to his own wounds.

For his meritorious service that day, he received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, as well as the Purple Heart.

This wasn’t the first time this accomplished Soldier had been recognized. Just weeks prior to the incident, Fisher was presented with the U.S. Army Surgeon General’s Annual Physician Assistant Recognition Award. He was selected from among more than 600 Army PAs and cited for providing life saving care on two separate combat deployments. His actions in Afghanistan only further validate that award.

“It means a lot that the men I work with think I am worthy of such an award,” he said. “I work with some of the most amazing men on earth. Professional, dedicated, hardworking and heroic are a few words that come to mind. It is a privilege to work among the best and brightest in the Army.”

Although he has served as a PA for only a few years, Fisher has spent nearly two decades in the Army, many of them as a Ranger. He first enlisted in 1993 as an infantryman and was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment. He went on to serve as a medic with the Rangers and later transitioned to the Indiana National Guard and worked as a paramedic on the Indianapolis Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.

While serving with the Indiana National Guard, several of his fellow Soldiers encouraged him to pursue the Army’s Interservice Physician Assistant Program. But it wasn’t until a friend was killed in Iraq when Fisher finally decided to enroll.

“I didn’t want to sit around and watch our country at war,” he said. “I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself, and I thought being a PA was the best way to do that.”

After earning his PA certification from the University of Nebraska in 2007, he returned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, and has since completed multiple deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Even though it was a long road, Fisher sees how each step of his journey helped prepare him to become a PA.

“Being an enlisted Soldier really helped me understand the mindset of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and I knew what was going to be required of me. My work with the National Guard and SWAT kept me focused on staying disciplined and focused, and working as a paramedic helped me obtain skills that help me save lives, even today,” he said.

Fisher will deploy again later this spring with the 75th Ranger Regiment’s 1st Battalion.

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Soldiers of the Week – CSM James Richardson Sr. and PVT James Richardson Jr.

Posted on April 3, 2011 by CJ| 1 Comment

April is the Month of the Military Child, an opportunity to recognize the courage, sacrifice and resilience of our Army children. The strength of our Soldiers is bolstered by the strength they find in their own family members – parents, siblings, spouses and children. Command Sgt. Maj. James Richardson knows this all too well.

At home he is the father of seven children and on the job he is the command sergeant major of the Nevada National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 221st Armored Cavalry, serving as an unofficial “father” to more than 750 Soldiers. He credits the unwavering support of his wife and children with helping him accomplish missions and lead others. Soon Richardson’s son, inspired by his father’s example, will report to basic training in April.

This month, the Army reaffirms its commitment to providing all of its families with a supportive environment where spouses and children can thrive, particularly when loved ones are deployed.

There is nothing more important to Command Sgt. Maj. James Richardson Sr. than family. But Richardson’s definition of family doesn’t end at his wife and seven children – he views the Soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 221st Armored Cavalry as his family too.

“I’m kind of the ‘dad’ of the organization,” he said. “As a father of seven, it’s a familiar role for me. I have Soldiers that are the same age as my kids. They have the same kinds of issues, but compounded with a military obligation.”

During the Nevada National Guard’s deployment to Afghanistan last year, the squadron provided security force platoons for provincial reconstruction teams across the country. Additionally, they were the only National Guard unit assigned as battlespace owners, adding significant responsibility to their mission yet allowing the Guardsmen to draw on their civilian experience.

“I think the battlespace responsibility is a tribute to all the other responsibilities we had to deal with besides the security force piece,” he said. “That is where the diversity of our Soldiers, who are policeman, fireman, civil engineers, and many others, came in to be our advantage over the active component.”

Richardson oversaw Soldier welfare and training operations for the squadron, making it his personal mission to ensure that the needs of his Soldiers were met and that the policies and standards of the military were upheld in all aspects of Soldier conduct, both on and off duty.

As a result of his leadership and meritorious service throughout the deployment, Richardson was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Although he was honored to receive the medal, he considers bringing all 752 Soldiers home safely to be his real measure of success.

Throughout his career in the Nevada National Guard and especially during his recent deployment overseas, Richardson said he always felt the full support of his family. Their support allowed him to focus on the battlefield, not the homefront.

“I’m not a softy, but I’m not a fire-breathing, nail-eating sergeant major either,” he said. “My job and my main priority is Soldier care along with family care because families support the Soldiers. Personally, I couldn’t be who I am as a man without my family.”

When Richardson enlisted in the Army nearly three decades ago, he did not plan to become a career Soldier, but felt a strong sense of belonging in the Army. Two years later he transitioned from active duty to the Nevada National Guard, where he has served for the past 27 years.

“I’ve watched the National Guard evolve as an organization,” he said. “Guardsmen were once thought of as ‘weekend warriors,’ but now the Guard is really valued as an operational force. Overseas, Guardsmen bring all kinds of experience that makes us strong – we have attorneys, engineers, policemen, cooks – in addition to Army experience.”

Having been a parent for nearly as long as he’s served in uniform, Richardson’s duties as a father often influenced his actions as a Soldier and as a role model. His military career inspired his eldest son, James Jr. to join the Nevada National Guard as well.

“I definitely encouraged James to join. The National Guard is an amazing organization and being a part of something bigger than you is really important,” said the father. “But at the individual level, it’s also very personal. Relatively speaking, only a few people take the opportunity to serve their country.”

After watching his parent serve in uniform for decades, Pvt. James Richardson Jr. knew he wanted to follow in his father’s boot steps.

“Seeing my father serve helped me to realize that the Army Guard is a very good thing to be in and to be around,” said the younger Richardson. “I’ve grown to love the military life and I’ve always wanted to wear the uniform of the Army Guard.”

Pvt. Richardson is scheduled to report to basic training next month.

Originally from Boulder City, Nev., Command Sgt. Maj. Richardson and his family reside in the Las Vegas area. Although he is eligible to retire, the Noncommissioned Officer is not in a rush to relinquish his duties anytime soon.

“I really enjoy what I do and I’m not finished,” he said. “I feel that I still have a lot to offer to the Guard and to the state of Nevada.”

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