Professional first sergeant/Probation Officer brings experience to Iraq

Photo By Staff Sgt. Cory Grogan | 1st Sgt. Joshua Paullaus, a Pendleton Ore., native, who is serving in Iraq with Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, from the Oregon National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team says his civilian job as a probation officer has helped him have success as a first sergeant.  

AL ASAD, IRAQ

10.14.2009

Story by Spc. Cory Grogan 

41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team

AL ASAD, Iraq — Professional first sergeant/probation officer brings experience to Iraq.

1st Sgt. Josh Paullus, from Pendleton Ore., stands as an example of how civilian Soldiers can bring expertise from their careers at home to help accomplish great things for the military.

Paullus is the highest ranking non-commissioned officer in Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the Oregon National Guard, and is currently deployed in Iraq.

At home, Paullus is a juvenile probation officer, and he says many of the skills and responsibilities from his job translate into what he doing as a first sergeant.

Paullus said that as the senior NCO his responsibilities include making sure things are done that nobody else is getting done in the company, which sometimes includes dealing with Soldiers problems and giving them personal and professional advice.

"Back home I work with individual medical, dental and mental health needs, and here I do the same thing—there really is a huge overlap," Paullus said.

Paullus explained that the key to both jobs is finding a balance between meeting the individual's needs and the organization's needs.

"As a probation officer I ensure their needs are being met, and they are meeting the needs of the court; as first sergeant. I make sure Soldiers needs are being met, and that they are meeting the needs of the Army."

He said that being a probation officer has provided him with a map for a lot of what he has done as a first sergeant.

"One of the things I learned in my civilian job, that I use here, is that it is easy to look at a problem as a problem rather than to see it as a solution. A lot of times in life we encounter problems and however they came about there is usually a reason for them. [I] have to do a lot of work with people so they can understand the problem—especially with younger Soldiers in my company."

He said that in both his jobs he has to be fair and consistent while understanding the balance between rewards and punishment.

"It is hard to be a leader and a friend because the two don't always match well," stated Paullus.

Paullus believes doing that well requires experience, and he is thankful to have gained his experience as a probation officer because it is helping him be a full time first sergeant for a year long deployment to Iraq.

• Date Taken: 10.14.2009
• Date Posted: 10.14.2009 06:36
• Story ID: 40084
• Location: AL ASAD, IQ