By Spc. Allison Churchill
41st Fires Brigade
FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – Sgt. Danielle Kuehn didn't know anything about the military in the summer of 2004 except that she had always wanted to be a part of it.
Kuehn, the brigade ammunitions office non-commissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 589th Brigade Support Battalion, 41st Fires Brigade, is ready to make the transition from enlisted to officer.
Kuehn has been accepted into the Green-to-Gold Active Duty program. She plans to combine her love of sports and her goal to be a great Army leader.
"She's one of the best we've got," said Capt. Carmelo Madera, Co. A, 589th BSB commander. Madera, himself a prior enlisted Soldier, helped Kuehn through the Green-to-Gold application process.
Kuehn graduated with an associate's degree from Boisser Parish Community College, Bossier City, La., and attended the Leadership Training Course for Reserve Officers' Training Corps at Texas A&M -- Kingsville, Texas. She planned to complete a bachelor's degree and become an Army officer.
Her experiences at LTC made her decide to put those plans on hold and enlist first.
Kuehn, a Ganado, Texas, native, found she had "instant respect" for noncommissioned officers after working with the drill sergeants at LTC. One in particular, Yolanda Mitchell, now a second lieutenant and working in the Army Nurses Corps, mentioned that she'd noticed the officers who were prior enlisted relate well to junior enlisted Soldiers and are able to share similar experiences.
Kuehn saw Mitchell as a coach; upon learning of her plans to become a nurse and officer, Kuehn decided to adjust her military career.
She enlisted in August and was assigned to 589th BSB, which was just standing up in February 2005.
"I finally started my adventure," said Kuehn, who left a positive impression on the other Soldiers in the new unit.
"She participates in everything and makes it a success," Madera said.
While learning to be an NCO, Kuehn continued her civilian education, earning a bachelor's degree in sports and health sciences from American Military University, an online school, in March 2007.
She will study for her master's of business administration at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, but intends to apply for either the physical therapy or physician's assistant programs in the Army Medical Corps.
She said she sees the Green-to-Gold Active Duty option as a great opportunity.
"I like school, so if the Army will give me time to get my master's (degree), why not?" Kuehn said.
| Date Taken: | 07.27.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 07.27.2008 16:06 |
| Story ID: | 21879 |
| Location: | AL KUT, IQ |
| Web Views: | 242 |
| Downloads: | 212 |
This work, Iron Caisson accepted into Green-to-Gold, by SPC Allison Churchill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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