Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Selvage | Sgt. Tasha Kreger, a native of Pine City, Minn., motor transport operator and Spc. Mat...... read more read more
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Juggling a career and college may be overwhelming to some people but for Sgt. Tasha Kreger, a native of Pine City, Minn., motor transport operator assigned to the 114th Transportation Company, 77th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, that is only about half of her work load.
When Kreger isn’t wearing a combat uniform in a deployed environment she can be found back home working simultaneously more than 40 hours a week as a corrections officer and continuing her education as a full time student at Concordia University St. Paul.
“She is a very organized person and great at multi-tasking,” said Kreger’s mother, Lynelle Kreger. “She’s been like that ever since she was a little kid.”
Kreger enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard in 2004 under the Army’s Split-Training Option, which allows high school students to go to basic combat training during the summer of their junior year and complete advanced individual training after they graduate high school
“I joined the Minnesota Army National Guard when I was 17 years of age and a junior in high school,” said Kreger.
She went to basic combat training the summer of her junior year. The following summer she completed her advanced individual training to become a human resources specialist.
Kreger deployed to Kuwait in 2007 while assigned to the 347th Personnel Services Detachment.
Once she returned from her deployment, she decided to change her job to become a motor transport operator and was reassigned to the 114th TC.
“I then deployed for my second time in July of 2009 with the 114th TC to southern Afghanistan where I was a gunner during convoys,” said Kreger.
She said the deployments to Kuwait and Afghanistan were completely different from each other.
Kreger is currently deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom once again.
After serving as a member of the team, it was time for Kreger to serve as the leader of a team.
“I am now a truck commander for the scout vehicle of our convoy escort teams,” said Kreger. “I am the compass of our convoys and the first eyes on potential threats.”
She said she knows how important her mission is and takes it to heart.
“I assist in providing security for trucks transporting goods in Afghanistan,” said Kreger. “Without that security, it’s incredibly difficult for the safe transport of supplies.”
She said she loves the opportunities and training the Army has provided her.
“I am also a level two combatives instructor and a resiliency training assistant,” said Kreger.
She said she wants to continue her career in the military and has recently re-enlisted for another six years of service.
“She is definitely a positive role model as far as promoting females to stay in the military and move up through the ranks,” said Capt. Ryan Koester, a Hutchinson, Minn., native, company commander of the 114th TC.
Kreger said every year she goes to high schools in the Pine City area to talk about her experiences as a female Soldier in the military.
“I speak on the topics of basic combat training, advanced individual training, Recruit Sustainment Program and all the benefits associated with the Minnesota National Guard,” said Kreger.
She said she also talks about the importance of being a well-rounded soldier and pursuing further education.
“For the past two and a half years I have been cadre for the
Recruit Sustainment Program in Duluth, Minnesota,” said Kreger.
“The RSP is a program prepares newly enlisted Soldiers for the realities of basic combat training.”
When Kreger is not deployed and providing security for convoys on the dusty dirt roads of Afghanistan, she is back home working for the Minnesota Department of Corrections as a corrections officer at the men’s state prison in Rush City, Minn.
She has been a corrections officer for the past six years.
Kreger is also a Pressure Points and Control Tactics instructor at the state prison.
“As a corrections officer, I worked in segregation for four and a half years then moved to a utility spot where I had a different post each day,” said Kreger.
She said segregation is where the “trouble makers” get sent.
“If an offender were to get into a fight, refuse directives or anything else of that nature they would be sent to segregation where they would spend 23 hours of their day in a single bunk cell,” said Kreger.
She said her military experience has helped a lot, especially with the leadership aspect and working as a team.
Working at the state prison is merely a portion of Kreger’s busy life back home. She is also a full time student working towards a bachelor’s of science degree in kinesiology, which is exercise science.
She said she likes the mental challenge and decided to pursue higher education.
Kreger decided to go to college in the summer of 2012 and wants to eventually get a doctorate in physical therapy and hopes to one day work with professional athletes.
“While going to school, I became a tour guide on campus, the vice president of the Concordia Sisterhood of Empowerment and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes,” said Kreger.
The CSE is an organization where women from all social classes come together to network and celebrate being a female. It is meant to promote the strength, health of females as well as create a close-knit group of friends.
“As the vice president of the CSE, it was my duty to help organize group meetings, events and women’s awareness activities,” said Kreger.
She said the CSE events help build women’s mental and physical strengths. They also help make women more aware of issues that they may be susceptible to such as cancer.
“I have utilized my experience as a leader in the military to take charge of these events and put on self-defense courses for the women of Concordia, as well as numerous health awareness activities throughout each month,” said Kreger.
When Kreger is not working at the state prison or going to class she works as a part-time personal trainer.
“My clients range anywhere from friends and family to acquaintances,” said Kreger.
She said being a personal trainer consumes approximately 10 hours of her week.
“Being that my field of study at school is kinesiology, personal training doubles as an internship, which is required in order for me to graduate,” said Kreger.
Working as a personal trainer is fun for her because she loves to work out anyway she said.
Kreger isn’t just about work and no play.
“In the summer I play softball on five different softball leagues and in the fall I only play on three,” said Kreger. “It pretty much consumes most of my nights.”
She said she has always been into sports and is an all-around player on the field.
When she’s not playing softball, she likes to go four-wheeling, fishing, hunting, kayaking, hiking and hangs out with her friends and family.
“Being active keeps me healthy, in shape and out of trouble,” said Kreger.
Kreger has applied the skills she has learned from her time in the military to the civilian side of her life.
“I definitely learned my professionalism and work ethic from my time in the military,” said Kreger. “Without the military, I would definitely be a different person than who I am now.”
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2014 09:33 |
| Story ID: | 123280 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Hometown: | HUTCHINSON, MN, US |
| Hometown: | PINE CITY, MN, US |
| Web Views: | 271 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, A professional in the combat zone, the home front, by SSG Michael Selvage, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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