Photo By Sarah Lupescu | U.S. Army 1st Lt. Johnny Robey is serving on the Beyond the Horizon Honduras exercise...... read more read more
Subscribe
NACO, Honduras – A Missouri Army National Guardsman is serving as the personnel officer for Beyond the Horizon 2012 Honduras, a civil-military operation that is dedicated to working together with the Hondurans.
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Johnny Robey, of Jefferson City, Mo., and the commander of the 880th Engineer Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion, 35th Engineer Brigade, keeps track of all personnel issues for the troops serving on the BTH exercise.
“I help manage pay issues, tracking personnel, red cross messages, and soldier transportation to and from Honduras through the defense travel system,” Robey said. “I also help coordinate VIP visits and make sure their accommodations are in order.”
This exercise is Robey’s first time travelling out of the United States with the military.
The people in the rural communities in Honduras are happy with the simplicities in life, Robey said.
“Even if you do something so simple as give the kids a soccer ball to play with, they are so happy,” Robey said.
Every once in awhile Robey is able to step away from his office and make it out to the areas that BTH troops are working in.
“My favorite part of this exercise is seeing the work getting done,” Robey said. “I enjoy going to the sites and seeing the immediate impact of what we’re here to do.”
U.S. military health care professionals conduct medical readiness training exercises where they provide general and specialized medical and dental services. The BTH medical teams working with Latin American and Caribbean medical teams and non-governmental organizations build strong partnerships that can be called upon in the event of a regional situation that requires cooperative solutions.
“I was able to make it out to a medical site,” Robey said. “They set up a medical clinic at a local school. They were working in small, normal rooms similar to our offices here. Even with the simple exams the local people were receiving, they just seemed so appreciative.”
Serving on this BTH exercise as a duration staff means Robey has to spend several months away from his family.
“It’s always tough,” Robey said. “You aren’t interacting with them in day-to-day life. With FaceTime, email, and texting, it’s easy to maintain connections. My family is accustomed to the fact that when I have to leave the house, life doesn’t stop. My wife continues on with taking the kids to gymnastics, basketball, softball, and all the other daily activities.”
Robey has served 15 years in the Missouri Army National Guard. He works full time as a system administrator in information management in Jefferson City, Mo.
| Date Taken: | 05.21.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2012 21:05 |
| Story ID: | 88764 |
| Location: | HN |
| Web Views: | 110 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Missouri guardsman serves on Beyond the Horizon 2012 Honduras exercise, by Sarah Lupescu, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT