Photo By Maj. Chad Nixon | Capt. Rosanne Radavich, a chemical officer now serving as an aide-de-camp with the...... read more read more
SALT LAKE CITY - Company grade officers from across the command attended the first ever 807th Medical Command (Deployment Support) aide-de-camp training held at Fort Douglas this January.
Being someone’s personal assistant can be tough. However, working as an aide-de-camp for a general officer in the Army can bring new and unexpected challenges for company grade officers.
“The command group here realizes how difficult the job can be” stated Maj. Terrance Beasley, operations officer for the 807th. “We want to provide our aides the tools and resources they need to be successful.”
On the outside looking in, there can be many misconceptions about the duties and responsibilities of an aide-de-camp.
“There is more to being an aide than answering phones and keeping a calendar,” stated Beasley “Aides need training in multiple Army specific computer programs, understand pay and funding issues, as well as protocol and travel requirements.”
For some, transitioning from the active to the reserve component can be challenging. The road can be even more difficult when you now have to learn new systems to provide support to others besides yourself.
“I recently transitioned from the active component, and the Army Reserve is a different system,” stated Capt. Rosanne Radavich, a newly appointed aide and 807th Soldier. “For the first time I had to track duty days and pay, which is never a consideration when you are an active duty Soldier.”
“The training not only helped me clarify many of these differences, but it built up my existing tool kit,” stated Radavich, “The training was extremely helpful for me on multiple fronts.”
With continued budget constraints placed on the reserves, the 807th realized that this too can be an area of fiscal responsibility.
“It’s critical that aides-de-camp, as well as all staff sections, be self-sufficient and effective at eliminating wastes of time and resources.” stated Capt. Daniel Santiago, an 807th Soldier and instructor for the course, “this training empowers students with the necessities needed to support our leaders so they can focus on what is required of them.”
Serving as an aide-de-camp isn’t a required position but an opportunity some select officers choose to pursue.
“I do believe that being an aide takes an adjusted mindset and you definitely have to be willing to put in the extra hours,” stated Radavich, “a general officer is incredibly busy, and an aide is there to give them maximum time to accomplish their actual work …. knowing that the work I do is truly important, and makes a difference for someone, makes the additional hours at the end of the day feel worthwhile.”
| Date Taken: | 01.20.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.20.2015 15:51 |
| Story ID: | 152315 |
| Location: | SALT LAKE CITY, UT, US |
| Web Views: | 998 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Reserve unit provides 'aide' to company grade officers, by MAJ Chad Nixon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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