US Army Pacific Sisters in Arms panel discusses improving performance in the work environment

Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher McCullough | Sgt. Leiu Noga, Headquarters Support Company, U.S. Army Pacific, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, talks with panel member, Sgt. Maj. Veronica Regalbuti, Directorate of Emergency Services sergeant major, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, at the end of a Sisters in Arms panel discussion of work and life balance. Regalbuti, who has nieces and nephews she enjoys spending time with during the weekend, says it’s necessary to have balance both at work and home. “If it’s all about work,” Regalbuti said, “whenever you hang up the uniform, the people you neglected are now the people you don’t recognize because you put so much of yourself into the job.” (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Chris McCullough, USARPAC Public Affairs)  

FORT SHAFTER, HI, UNITED STATES

12.15.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Christopher McCullough 

U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Office

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii – The U.S. Army Pacific Sisters in Arms program convened a panel of successful senior enlisted female leaders at the Aliamanu Military Reservation Chapel, Hawaii, Dec. 11 to discuss improving performance in the work environment.

The Sisters in Arms panel of senior noncommissioned officers facilitated discussion of work and life balance with other professional service members from all walks of life – men, women, civilian and military.

The panel members this month included Sgt. Maj. Veronica Regalbuti, Directorate of Emergency Services sergeant major, Schofield Barracks; 1st Sgt. Katrina Richardson, 8th Theater Sustainment Command first sergeant; and Sgt. 1st Class Michelle Waychoff, Strategy and Effects Directorate Staff Communications Division noncommissioned officer in charge.

“We were looking for dynamic, senior noncommissioned officers that were known throughout [USARPAC],” said Sgt. 1st Class Ericka Perez, an executive panel member from Vero Beach, Fla. “Each and every one of them came highly recommended from other service members. They each had a story. We had a single Soldier, a single parent Soldier, and a Soldier who has five kids with a very good husband for support. We really wanted that diversity.”

While intended to address female-specific issues, it does not exclude men who are interested in attending meetings and educating themselves about what women in the Army are concerned about, focused on and dealing with.

“One of the panels we would like to do in the future is incorporate some men onto our panel,” Perez said. “We want to keep it open and diverse to everyone because we have a diversity of Soldiers throughout our chain, and it’s good if they can find someone that they can relate to.”

Fellow executive board member, Sgt. 1st Class Melissa Spradlin, of San Luis, Ariz., further explained the board members were asked to discuss difficulties they had dealt with, how they overcame them, what traits they have attributed to their success, what kind of mentorship they may have received, as well any advice they would like to impart with.

“What each of these panel members put out were their keys to success for them individually, but they all had something unique and something similar at the same time and that was the drive to move forward and progress,” said Spradlin.

Waychoff stated, during her introduction, that while their leadership talks a lot about maintaining a healthy work/life balance, “in order to be truly successful in life – not just the Army – the skill of balance has to be at the top of your list.”

She further explained that she learned as much the hard way. At one time not so long ago she was focused almost exclusively on her career, spending in excess of 13 a day at work, seven days a week. It nearly destroyed her family life.

"When I was not at work I was at home working on work," Waychoff said. "I didn’t have hobbies. I was attached to my phone. I rarely spent quality time with my family. The Army was my number one priority. When my Soldiers made mistakes or my unit fell below standards, I took it personally. I took full responsibility for everything, including every single mistake that was made."

That behavior caused her family to eventually resent her, Waychoff said, which pored over into her job. This unhealthy imbalance led to turmoil in all areas of her life. Something had to change and it did.

“I started by re-prioritizing my life. I know that when my family is happy I function so much better for the Army,” Waychoff said. “I also learned to make time for myself [and] I learned how to let 80 percent be good enough because sometimes it needs to be. It’s been drilled into our heads ever since basic training we always have to give 100 percent. I’ve always taken that to heart. Giving 100 percent in several areas of your life means that sometimes you have to be willing to accept an 80 percent solution.”

Regalbuti, who has nieces and nephews she enjoys spending time with, agreed with Waychoff’s sentiment that successful individuals need balance.

“You have to have balance,” Regalbuti said. “If it’s all about work, whenever you hang up the uniform, the people you neglected are now the people you don’t recognize because you put so much of yourself into the job. The one thing to help you be successful is … balance. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself. Make sure you make time [for your family]. The one thing that helped me be successful is that balance.”

• Date Taken: 12.15.2014
• Date Posted: 12.15.2014 19:10
• Story ID: 150346
• Location: FORT SHAFTER, HI, US
• Hometown: ALIAMANU MILITARY RESERVATION, HI, US
• Hometown: FORT SHAFTER, HI, US
• Hometown: SAN LUIS, AZ, US
• Hometown: SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI, US
• Hometown: VERO BEACH, FL, US