Engineers bring unique skillsets to mission

Photo By Sgt. Spencer Rhodes | Gen. Tracy A. Thompson stands with the deploying members of the 808th Engineer Company, 980th Battalion, 420th Engineer Brigade, at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J., Jan. 17, 2014.Thompson visits the unit as they are preparing to mobilize to Afghanistan. (Army Photo by PV2 Kourtney Grimes/Released)  

FORT DIX, NJ, UNITED STATES

01.17.2014

Story by Sgt. Spencer Rhodes 

107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

JOINT BASE-MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - Experience. Experience. Experience. This is what National Guard and Reserve soldiers consistently bring to the table on a deployment. The 808th Engineer Company, 980th Battalion, 420th Engineer Brigade, is no different. Comprised of soldiers from all over the country, they bring a myriad of unique experience garnered from their civilian education or career fields. They are currently preparing to wrap up the last of their mobilization training before heading to Afghanistan.

First Sgt. for the 808th, Sandy Silvas, explains that they will be sent to different forward operating bases across Afghanistan that are being shut down, and facilitate the handing over of maintenance responsibilities from departing U.S. military components to a working Afghani populace. He also believes that the amount of experience found within the unit will only enhance the success of their deployment.

Capt. Andrew Beaty, who works in project management for a commercial construction company, will be one of many officers in charge of the small teams tasked with making sure Afghan counterparts are ready to take over engineer responsibilities at forward operating bases. His civilian job has given him specific skills that will directly translate to his mission and allow him to help create a better transition overseas.

"Throughout the unit, there are soldiers who are degree certified engineers in a wide spectrum of fields, or are subject matter experts in similar jobs on the civilian side. These are the reasons that make the unit exceptionally qualified for this deployment," says Beaty.

Sgt. Adam Teaff has a similar experience in dealing with skills refined in a personal career. Taeff is a lead technician for a home and commercial security installation company, where he serves as a liaison between private or commercial consumer satisfaction and the actual job being done, and has a plethora of hands on electrical expertise that will be relevant to the tasks handed to his detachment.

While nearing the end of their mobilization experience here, at JB-MDL, the engineer detachment was visited by the 420th Engineer Brigade commanding officer, Brig, Gen. Tracy A. Thompson. Thompson, who displayed an avid interest in the training, success, and general well-being of the detachment's soldiers, believes the 808th went through their mobilization process with a high level of efficiency that showed excellent leadership, high morale, and good discipline.

"I've been a commander for a long time, and I've always had faith in my units' ability to succeed in their missions," says Thompson, "Missions change; what I want for them personally, is to enhance themselves and take this opportunity to get everything that they can, culturally. They might not experience this again anywhere else."

• Date Taken: 01.17.2014
• Date Posted: 01.17.2014 17:22
• Story ID: 119331
• Location: FORT DIX, NJ, US