Courtesy Photo | (Left to right) Capt. Ervin Purvis, 902nd Engineer Company commander, of Cheraw, S.C.,...... read more read more
PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Spc. Brad Cryderman, 902nd Engineer Company, 15th Engineer Battalion, a carpentry and masonry specialist from Sacramento, Calif., was heading home after his term of service expired.
After fulfilling his contract, Cryderman planned to leave the Army to take care of his mom and to pursue a degree in Business Management at Sacramento State University.
While waiting at Forward Operating Base Sharana Airfield Terminal to fly back to Germany, homestation of the 15th Eng. Bn., personnel told him there was no room on the airplane, and he may need to wait another two days before he could board another flight. After seeing the airplane depart, Cryderman said he realized he was not ready to leave his unit, which he has been a part of for three years.
Cryderman remembered Master Sgt. David Milton, the 18th Eng. Brigade senior career counselor from Louisville, Ky., visiting and speaking to his battalion the previous week about current re-enlistment options. Milton also told them they could stop by his office and talk to him anytime.
Realizing he was just a short walk from the Retention Office, Cryderman made the decision to stop by and discuss extending his contract to finish out the term of his deployment with his unit.
Within 10 minutes, Cryderman signed the documents to extend for the remaining months of the 902nd Eng. Company’s deployment with the hopes of receiving re-enlistment options after returning to his unit’s home location in Schweinfurt, Germany.
His company commander, Capt. Ervin Purvis, of Cheraw, S.C., is still surprised at Cryderman’s change of heart as he had spoken with Cryderman before he was dropped at the terminal. Purvis said, “He realized he’s still part of the team and wanted to contribute.”
Cryderman and the 902nd Eng. Company have been hard at work building wood-frame structures, guard towers, and partition walls to help improve FOB Sharana. “I like what we are doing,” said Cryderman.
“In a way I am relieved that I missed my flight,” said Cryderman. “I don’t feel like I got everything I needed.”
| Date Taken: | 07.04.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2011 19:35 |
| Story ID: | 73557 |
| Location: | PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Engineer re-ups instead of flying home, by SSgt Jason Huddleston, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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