Team Dyess RAD Airmen reflect on earning Vierdaagse Military Medal in Nijmegen [Image 6 of 8]

NIJMEGEN, NETHERLANDS

07.21.2022

Photo by 1st Lt. Kaitlin Cashin 

7th Bomb Wing

Dyess Air Force Base Rapid Airman Development Senior Master Sgt. Ato Ellis stands with the 7th Bomb Wing Gideon July 21, 2022, before starting the 4-Daagse March in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (U.S. Air Force Photo By 1st Lt Kaitlin Cashin)

Name: SMSgt Ato Ellis
Duty Title: First Sergeant
Unit: 7 Mission Support Group
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

What inspired you to get involved with RAD?
“I missed the growth that comes with suffering through a challenge with your team. I haven’t had it since my first unit as a first sergeant and this gave me an opportunity to experience that again.”

What has been the most valuable takeaway from the staff ride so far?
“Understanding you and your adversaries’ weaknesses is just as important as understanding your strengths. Similar to how German forces in WWII knew the Allies had air superiority bordering on air supremacy, gained tactical advantages just from operating when it was cloudy, our enemies today are also studying us and attacking our weaknesses. Success for us moving forward will be contingent not just upon what we do when we are strong, but how we anticipate or defend against our adversaries."

How are you feeling about the 4 Days Ruck?
I’m looking forward to watching the team cohesion evolve for the unknowns. Where our members will shore up holes in each other’s games, take turns leaning on each other, and adapting to new challenges as they come up. We have all put in lots of miles to prepare for the 4 Days March, but nobody knows what mile 43, 71, 86 etc looks like. When that happens, we will need to find each other, so to speak, and I’m excited to see that sense of unit cohesion develop.”

• Date Taken: 07.21.2022
• Date Posted: 07.29.2022 18:25
• Photo ID: 7343647
• VIRIN: 220721-F-ZD022-490
• Resolution: 1536x2049
• Size: 589.12 KB
• Location: NIJMEGEN, NL
• Hometown: BROOKLYN, NY, US