Vietnam veteran still serving

Courtesy Photo | Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Gholston, right, a squad leader with the Oregon National Guard's 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, talks with fellow service members after coming off a range in June at Fort Dix, N.J. Gholston, a 52-year-old Portland, Ore., resident, rejoined the service after serving in the Navy when he was younger. Gholston and the rest of the 115th MPAD deployed to Iraq in August of 2007. He is currently concluding a one year deployment at Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees, including those convicted by military commission and those ordered released by a court. The JTF conducts intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination for the protection of detainees and personnel working in JTF Guantanamo facilities and in support of the War on Terror. JTF Guantanamo provides support to the Office of Military Commissions, to law enforcement and to war crimes investigations. The JTF conducts planning for and, on order, responds to Caribbean mass migration operations.  

01.22.2010

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marcos Hernandez 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

Leadership and professionalism are words lived by Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Gholston. Gholston, a 55-year-old public affairs supervisor, is currently serving at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in support of Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

Gholston joined the Navy in 1973, where he had the opportunity to serve in the Vietnam War as a combat videographer. He has supported many other operations, including Operation Eagle Pull and the evacuations that took place in Cambodia and Saigon. He spent 12 years on active duty in the Navy as a journalist working on radio and TV broadcasts. He then left the service for approximately 15 years and he applied his military skills to working for the radio broadcast department at Public Broadcasting Service in Alaska. Throughout the years, he also held managerial positions with different companies.

In 2005, Gholston joined the Army National Guard after feeling a need to be involved in the War on Terror. In 2007, Gholston deployed to Iraq with the 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment of the Oregon National Guard as a public affairs non-commissioned officer-in-charge.

"The best part about my job is to continue learning new things and working with the different branches toward a common goal," Gholston said. "I like the fact I am part of something bigger than myself. Viewing events through a lens, and at the same time participating in those events, is a great thing. I feel very fortunate to be in that role.

That role has earned Gholston the Vietnam Service Medal, a Combat Action Badge, Humanitarian Service Medal for support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and a Bronze Star in 2008 while working for Tactical Division North in Mosul.

"I've been impressed with his adaptability and his ability to acquire the knowledge and skills he needed to become a successful NCO," said Maj. Don Troxell of Bend, Ore., a former commander. "I feel privileged to have served as a commander with someone who served with public affairs in Vietnam. He was standing on the deck of the U.S.S. Hancock when they evacuated the refugees from Vietnam. I remember watching that on the news as a kid, and Gholston was actually there.

Due to his strong leadership and extensive experience, Gholston is well-regarded by fellow service members.

"He possesses great leadership skills," said Army 1st Sgt. Shellie Lewis, first sergeant for the 107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, which Gholston volunteered to deploy with to Guantanamo. "He's always willing to help the [service members] and has really been an asset to the public affairs team here at Guantanamo, and I believe he will continue to do so in his personal life."

Gholston has been on active duty since 2007 and emphasizes the importance of all-new experiences brought forth collectively in his career as a Navy sailor and as an Army soldier.

"It's interesting to see how people react to a situation during a crisis, and being a positive part of that effort and helping people and the mission is a great feeling," states Gholston. "It makes you aware of your surroundings. If you're not aware, then you'll miss the story.

Gholston was strongly encouraged by his wife, Trudy, to start chronicling his life experiences while on his current deployment to the JTF. The book, according to Gholston, starts with his time in Vietnam and ends with his time in Iraq.

"The book is finished; it is currently being looked at by a West Coast publisher," Gholston said. "The book is centered mostly around my experiences in the military and, if everything goes well, publication will take place in mid 2010."

A year shy of retirement, Gholston is eager to deploy once more. "My goal is to be able to deploy to Afghanistan before retirement," said Gholston.

• Date Taken: 01.22.2010
• Date Posted: 01.27.2010 15:30
• Story ID: 44509