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MAIWAND, DISTRICT, Afghanistan - Spc. Benjamin Wilbur Troy Reynolds, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division is a long way from his Grand Junction, Colo., home. However, he doesn’t have to look far to find motivation to carry on his mission in Afghanistan. According to those around him, he finds more than enough motivation to share with his peers as well.
Reynolds sites his faith as playing an important role in maintaining the positive attitude that so many in his unit admire. In the toughest of times, his beliefs seem to grow even stronger.
“I usually pray for my safety and those around me and use my faith as a motivator,” he said. “When God pulls you through something like that it’s an amazing feeling. It really reinforces your faith.”
Reynolds joined the Army in June 2010 and came to Alpha Company the following November. According to him, it was a life changing experience.
He is very candid about his troubles in school growing up.
“The Army has given me a second chance to prove to society that I can be a positive contributor. I just need the proper vessel to help guide me and the Army has given me that. School just wasn’t my thing, not because I was stupid but the system just doesn’t work for everyone,” he said.
While he credits the Army with having a big impact on his life, he will be the first to admit that it’s not always the easiest life to live.
The most challenging part of his job is dealing with the constant changes and the new things coming at Infantrymen on a regular basis.
“We have to learn to adapt quickly to survive,” he said.
His ability to adjust fire and to maintain that high level of motivation does not go unnoticed by his superiors.
“There are a couple guys in our company that are just positive people no matter what. You’ll see him out on the [combat outpost] doing PT every day. He just does everything 100 percent,” said Capt. Daniel F. Gwosch, Company commander for Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
When asked what Reynolds brought to the team, Gwosch couldn’t seem to stop offering praise for his young trooper.
“He’s just a hardworking, honest kid. A lot of people make excuses all the time and Reynolds is not one of those people. You need somebody that you can always count on,” said Gwosch. “No matter what, at the end of the day, you know you are going to get more than Reynolds can ever give you. He isn’t going to let anybody down. He’s not going to let the commander down. He’s not going to let his individual team leaders down. He’s just a positive influence in everything he does.”
First Sgt. Ronald M. Baker, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division echoed Gwosch’s sentiments regarding Reynolds’ knack for looking out for those around him.
“He’s family oriented and he treats everybody in his platoon and in this company like they were his own blood,” said Baker.
Despite all the challenges of daily life in a war zone, Reynolds seems to firmly believe in what he is doing and finds a way to appreciate his surroundings.
“I really love the camaraderie. You make friends so quickly in an environment like this. I guess we like being in the down and dirty fight,” he said. “I have faith in our mission and our ability to accomplish it.”
His fellow troops aren’t the only reason why he believes in what he is doing though.
“I feel heartfelt sympathy for the oppressed people of this country. They are good people in a bad situation. Despite our religious and economic differences, they’re a lot like us. They are just regular people trying to live their lives the way they want to live,” said Reynolds.
Despite the numerous differences that Reynolds points out, he even noted that, in some ways, the Afghan terrain reminded him a lot of his native Colorado.
“I can see myself on out here on a dirt bike jumping and climbing all over this place,” he said. “It’s a rider’s paradise.”
It’s these little positive things that Reynolds notices that seem to embody his greatest contribution to his team.
“When we have rough times, he’s the guy that we all lean on,” said Gwosch.
With his attitude and work ethic, it’s easy to understand why his command speaks so highly of him. His ability to put a positive spin on anything he faces seems apparent in all that he does.
“I miss my home, my wife and my kids. I think of them every day. Though it will be months until I get home, I still find motivation every day in the fact that, at some point, I will see them again,” said Reynolds. “In the meantime, I will be here, fighting the good fight and enjoying the little things, good food and good friends, and memorable times.”
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2012 10:25 |
| Story ID: | 86778 |
| Location: | MAIWAND DISTRICT, AF |
| Web Views: | 331 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Paratrooper plays positive role, by SGT H. Marcus McGill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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