Dirt, cement, wires, and three different branches working together: these are the components that made up my very first TDY as a Public Affairs Photojournalist. Though I didn’t know what to expect, I felt excited to journey to Camp Hinds, Maine, to cover Innovative Readiness Training with the 110th Civil Engineering Squadron, from Battle Creek ANGB, Mich. The Airmen were going through the two week program along with Marine Reservists from multiple units and a Navy Seaman.
A melting pot of different services, jobs, and personalities came together to create a porch for the Boy Scouts of America camp's new dining facility, as well as fix various electrical and plumbing problems throughout the camp. It was beautiful to watch the leaders take a step back and let the newer service members get hands on training that will prepare them for the rest of their careers. The trust that these young service members put in their leadership was earned and established early on. The troops here mixed hard work with fun and the respect between the branches was evident immediately. They built not only structures, but a well-blended team capable of accomplishing anything they set their mind to.
It seemed as though the atmosphere of training was carried over to other aspects of the trip as well. The 110th Services members that accompanied the CE squadron were trained by a Services team from the 143rd Airlift Wing on the latest equipment in their career field. The kitchen trailer is convenient with everything needed in the event of a natural disaster. They worked hard to keep the troops fed and content when not working. The amount of servitude and care they put into their work was beyond admirable.
Although I even received training myself in my own career field, the biggest lesson I learned was from Master Sgt. Craig Madden, services manager from the 110th. He made it clear that good leadership is willing to get their hands dirty next to their troops. I saw an amazing amount of this in the field.
The great mentorship, teamwork, and morale building I witnessed over the course of the week has changed for the better the way I view my own leadership. It has motivated me to do the right thing when I step into a leadership position some day.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of work and effort that the troops put in and were able to accomplish. I enjoyed getting to know the individuals, learning about them, and telling their stories.
| Date Taken: |
05.06.2016 |
| Date Posted: |
05.07.2016 15:41 |
| Story ID: |
197579 |
| Location: |
RAYMOND, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: |
252 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, A Melting Pot Or a Training Ground?, by A1C Tiffany Clark, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
