Photo By Spc. Douglas York | Sgt. Dominique Gammons, a native of Deltona, Fla., assigned to Company B, Division...... read more read more
By Spc. Douglas York
Multi-National Division - Baghdad
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – The famous saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" does not apply to everyone, especially in the case of Soldiers young and old alike, who are trying to further their careers that were initially slowed by scoring a little lower than some of their peers on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
The ASVAB is a test which the military uses as a measuring stick to determine which military occupational specialties service members can qualify for at the time of their initial enlistment, and can sometimes paint an incomplete picture of a Soldier's potential. However, there are ways for Soldiers to break through that "glass ceiling" and overcome the initial set back, should they desire to do so.
More than 100 Soldiers from Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, have been able to do just that, improve their ASVAB test scores through GT (general technical) improvement courses conducted by DSTB, 4th Inf. Div.
"I was motivated by my NCO [non-commissioned officer]," said Sgt. Dominique Gammons, a native of Deltona, Fla., who is assigned to Company B, DSTB, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, and serves as an integrated electronic warfare technician in the systems control office of the division's intelligence section. Staff Sgt. Marlene Noel, a native of Miami, who serves as the SYSCON NCO in charge, was the source of that motivation.
"I saw that she was taking the class and so looking at what I want my future to be like, as far as MOS is concerned, I knew that I needed to at least improve my GT score to open up that door a little bit," Gammons added, noting that she wants to change her MOS to become a respiratory specialist.
Gammons recently completed a three-week course taught by DSTB NCOs and officers, in preparation to retake the ASVAB. The course was held Monday through Friday and was an hour in the morning for English class, and two hours at night for math class. The goal for her and her peers was to improve their GT score above the 110 threshold and open the door to a myriad of opportunities in their careers and their lives.
"The battalion was giving a GT improvement class and we did that every single day for a month," Gammons said, elaborating that she jumped at the chance to pursue her goals and had the full support of her leaders.
"When she [Gammons] came up to me and said 'I want to go to that class,' that's when I realized that the best we can do is not only support our Soldiers, but give them the actual time they need to take these tests," Noel said. "They're crunching these courses in three weeks. In the states it's months, so give them the time to do what they have to do and they're going to excel," she added. Excel is exactly what Gammons and the others who attended did, but not without a few hiccups.
"I know that we all did it [the material] in high school, but some of it just looked so brand new and I think one of the hardest things about it was the homework; there was so much homework," Gammons said. "On top of that, it's just trying to recall all of the stuff that I did way back in high school; it's kind of rough," she added.
Yet Gammons feels that the course is a challenge well worth undertaking. In turn, she and Noel both feel that improving their GT scores is something that Soldiers can translate to life outside the military. Moreover, it is a goal that she feels every Soldier in her same shoes, and even those who are not, should consider shooting for.
"If this [wearing the uniform] is not for you, use the Army to benefit yourself. It's free; college is free; doing GT improvement is free; you don't have to pay for anything," she added, recommending to peers and leaders that even if their future career plans do not involve the military, they should at least get what they can out if it while they are enlisted.
"Definitely do the GT improvement course; it can't hurt you," Gammons said. "The instructors won't let you take the tests, or recommend that you don't take the tests, if they feel you won't do well enough," she added. All things considered, the worst a Soldier can do is achieve a higher score, she said.
Moreover, it is those same instructors that Gammons and Noel both realize helped push her to excel and reach her goal.
"They did a great job," Gammons said. "They were just as dedicated to it as we were and I loved that they took time out of their schedule to help other Soldiers out. That's a big deal and I greatly appreciate that," she added.
Noel was quick to add to those sentiments and elaborated on her Soldier's thoughts.
"The instructors were great and I'm really, really happy that she enjoyed herself and really liked it," Noel said. "I hope that she chooses to go out there and instruct," she added, speaking in terms of Gammons mentoring her peers for future GT improvement courses.
When it was all said and done, Gammons and Noel both realized that not only are Gammons and her peers changed for the better, but there were a myriad of people involved in putting the courses together.
1st Sgt. Willie Singleton, a native of Chicago, who serves as the senior enlisted leader of Co. A, DSTB, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, is one of those leaders. He takes a more logical approach to offering the courses.
"The idea is to keep good Soldiers in the Army," Singleton said. "I think all leaders in any branch of the military would have attempted to create a GT course if they knew it would keep good enlisted service members in the military," he added.
Gammons and Noel take the efforts of Singleton, as well as the host of other DSTB leaders who were involved, to heart. According to them, without their leaders' individual efforts, these courses being taught in Iraq would not have been possible.
"I'm changed for the better, most definitely," Gammons said. "Now Soldiers will come up to me and ask for help with their GT homework and I'm more than glad to give it to them," she added.
"The whole section, including our warrant officers, supported Sgt. Gammons," Noel said. "When I found out her GT score, before she did, we all were proud of her."
Thus far, 98 percent of the Soldiers who participated in the classes raised their GT scores, and of that percentage, 82 percent raised their scores above 110, said Singleton.
However, many will be hard-pressed to top Gammons' improvement, who went from a GT score in the high 90s to a "new and improved" score of 124, opening the doors to all of her life's future goals.
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2008 12:27 |
| Story ID: | 25142 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 239 |
| Downloads: | 211 |
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