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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — One job is aboard a nuclear submarine and requires being responsible for $500 million worth of equipment. Another job requires knowledge and analysis of messaging and propaganda in newsprint, radio, and television. One requires a service member to be underwater for months at a time. The other involves working at a computer for 10 hours a day.
See the connection here? No?
That is ok because there is no connection besides the fact that in today's armed services, America's best are often required to quickly master and perform duties that are way outside their area of expertise.
U.S. Navy Lt. David M. Bartles, 29, is one of many service members here in Afghanistan that rose to the occasion and fill the roll required of them during war time.
Bartles, who spent the three previous years of duty on a nuclear submarine, is now the night-shift battle captain for the Combined Joint Task Force -82 information operations section.
"It's definitely a big change from what I am used to, but it's pretty exciting, the work I mean" said Bartles.
The information operations section here in Bagram works with other sections in the communications action group to do a variety of things such as generating content that appears on the radio and television stations in eastern Afghanistan.
"I am definitely surprised at how quickly Lt. Bartles made the transition from working on a nuclear submarine to this," said Lt. Christopher L. Hunt, day-shift Information Operations battle captain.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Military Institute, and a Master's in Engineering management from Old Dominion University, Bartles received two years of training in nuclear engineering in preparation for his duties on a submarine.
During his six plus years serving in the Navy, Bartles received two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Expeditionary Medals, and five Overseas Service Awards.
Bartles was able to enjoy some time off the sub during a deployment.
"Port calls aren't anything new to the Navy, but we ended up spending six weeks in Perth, Australia one time. The city was awesome, it had friendly people and beautiful beach and an exciting nightlife," said Bartles, "Also, I won a poker tournament and took a tour of southwest Australia hopping from one park to the next."
Growing up in Falling Water, West Virginia, Bartles was the youngest son of Melissa and David Bartles. He has two sisters and a brother that is also in the Navy.
"The hardest part of military service for me is being away from my family and friends," says Barltes, "I have been able to keep in touch using the internet and it will be nice to take the family out for dinner when I get home."
Bartles seems to be able to always take a tough situation and make something positive out of it.
"Afghanistan is a beautiful country, the snow capped mountains are dramatic."
| Date Taken: | 01.02.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.02.2010 20:30 |
| Story ID: | 43402 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 228 |
| Downloads: | 190 |
This work, Navy submarine engineer takes on new role, by SPC Bryan Willis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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