Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathaniel Moger | Navy Capt. Greg Rismiller, Joint Task Force Guantanamo Engineering Director, analyzes...... read more read more
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By Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathaniel Moger
Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – Everyone in uniform remembers singing that cadence call while running in formation or marching to chow. She was the fittest senior citizen the world's ever seen, but next payday it looks like she'll have another old-timer to compete with, and this one too looks like a tough old bird.
On March 1, the United States Navy Reserve celebrated its 93rd birthday. Originally an off-shoot of the National Guard, the USNR has since evolved from a naval militia comprised of civilians drawn to the sea to a highly flexible and deployable pool of Sailors capable of serving anywhere alongside their active duty counterparts.
Since 9/11 over 40,000 reservists have been mobilized in support of the Global War on Terror, bringing their expertise and training to many commands. At Joint Task Force Guantanamo, their impact has been effective at all levels.
"Many people on the JTF staff are reservists," said Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, JTF commander. "I'd be hard pressed to tell you which one is reserve and which one is active duty, there's such seamless integration."
While the perception is that the USNR is just one weekend a month, two weeks a year, the reality is much different.
"I find that most reservists want to mobilize," said Senior Chief Petty Officer John Inglis, JTF engineering leading chief petty officer. "Nowadays, it's not if you're going to mobilize, it's when."
Reservists find themselves facing the same difficulties as their active duty counterparts. "As a reservist, I'm proud to be here, serving on active duty," said Chief Petty Officer Jason Marino, JTF engineering assistant. "It's tough on a lot of people, having to leave their families and their jobs, but we know what's involved when we joined."
While active-duty Sailors rely largely on their Navy schooling, on-the-job training and shipboard experience, reservists have their civilian experiences to draw from and influence their day-to-day decision making. In an environment like JTF Guantanamo, reservists bring a skill set to the table that can be a real asset in certain billets.
"For us in the civilian world, we're keeping up with the market, with the new
products coming out; we're keeping up with the trades," explained Marino on the utility of having private sector experience in the world of contracting and construction. "Out there it has to be done faster, better. We can bring that knowledge in a reserve status to a detachment or battalion."
The USNR also functions as a pool of reliable Sailors who can deploy either as a unit or in an individual augmentee status, lending flexibility to the process of rounding out operations worldwide. "It's a way for 'Big Navy' to fill tough billets," said Marino.
Pulling from reserve units is also a perfect way to lend support and technical expertise
to a joint environment like the JTF. While each branch of service has its own idiosyncrasies, like the on-going war over whether a restroom is a "head" or "latrine," reservists discover that their real-world experience gives them an advantage.
"We're not just used to working in a Navy environment," said Capt. Greg Rismiller, JTF engineering director. "In the civilian world...we work with everyone. It's like working in a joint environment every day."
With the birthday as reason to reflect on the contributions of reservists, the rare breed of service members willing to lead dual lives straddling the line between the worlds of the Department of Defense and the civilian, Rismiller sees the USNR being the strongest it's ever been.
"Ninety-three years is a long time for any institution, but judging from the quality and professionalism of the other reserve Sailors I'm serving with down here, I don't see the Navy Reserve slowing down a bit," said Rismiller. "As long as the mission requires us to mobilize and serve our country, we'll be ready to answer the call."
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2008 09:20 |
| Story ID: | 17019 |
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| Web Views: | 232 |
| Downloads: | 197 |
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