Over 33 years ago, Col. Halvorson, now the chief information officer for the Montana National Guard began his military career as a Convair F-106 Delta Dart crew chief at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont. Ten years later, after receiving his commission from the Academy of Military Science out of Knoxville, Tennessee, he became an engineer.
Three commands, five deployments, and numerous schools and awards later, Halvorson now stands as a director of staff with many other colonels.
Halvorson didn’t think he’d ever make it as far as he’s come.
“I had absolutely no intention of ever making it this far. I had no false pretenses that I would ever make it to lieutenant colonel, let alone colonel.”
His advice? “Don’t ever quit. You just don’t know how things are going to line up.”
And he was right. Halvorson earned his engineering degree from Montana State University, and had opportunities to work for Boeing, but didn’t want to leave Montana. He landed a job with Montana Power, but after so many companies failed, the MTNG has always had his back.
“I was deployed in the desert and got a phone call from a colonel at the base,” Halvorson said. The phone call offered him an active guard and reserve position, and he’s been AGR ever since.
There is another side to Colonel Halvorson, however. In his free time, he’s an avid outdoorsman.
“That’s one of the reasons I stayed in Montana,” he explained, “It’s kind of what Montana Is. I do a lot of hunting, fishing, snowmobiling. Anything to do with the outdoors I’m involved in.”
Joining him for his promotion, which occurred at 3p.m. was his wife, also a member of the military, his mother and two best friends from Great Falls, Montana. They had no idea that they would be helping pin Halvorson’s newest rank.
With his new rank, Halvorson continues to be a leader and a mentor, he concluded with the following advice, “If you don’t have a strong family and backing, you’re not going to make it in the Guard. You must work on that just as hard as you work on your career. That’s your support. When times get really tough you need to call someone to talk to, it’s nice to talk to a family member.”
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| Date Taken: | 01.07.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2017 17:17 |
| Story ID: | 225742 |
| Location: | HELENA, MT, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Colonel Halvorson Promotion, by SSG Michael Hunnisett, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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