Photo By Staff Sgt. Sebastian Rothwyn | U.S. Army Spc. Ozlem Sayal, a paralegal specialist with the 369th Sustainment Brigade,...... read more read more
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U.S. Army Spc. Ozlem Sayal, a paralegal specialist with the 369th Sustainment Brigade of the New York Army National Guard, and Sgt. Joseph Billalba, a network communications systems specialist with the 187th Brigade Signal Company, were recognized as the Hellfighter Sustainers of the Week during a ceremony conducted by Command Sgt. Maj Curtis Moss, senior enlisted advisor to the commander of the brigade at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Feb. 21, 2023.
Spc. Sayal was chosen, not only because she brings a cautious optimism with her to work every day, but demonstrates confidence and competence far above her rank, having worked on numerous investigations and projects within the legal section.
Sgt. Billalba was chosen for his outstanding work with a forward logistics site he was able to thrive with despite great adversity.
The Army values define the character of all soldiers and guide their actions on and off duty.
For Sayal, the most important Army value is integrity.
When asked what she is most proud of she said, “I have never compromised my values.”
“I prefer adjusting in the absence of something rather than damage my reputation,” she said.
For Billalba, the most important Army value is honor.
When asked what he is most proud of he said, “I am proud to be the first and only son in my family to join the military.”
The Army values shape the Army as a profession, signifying what is important and influencing how the Army and its personnel operate daily.
Sayal, originally from Istanbul, Turkey, is focused on becoming a commissioned officer within the next two years and would like to do at least one more deployment.
She constantly works to improve herself and her legal acumen, taking on each new assignment with vigor and intellectual curiosity.
She enjoys working out, white water rafting and studying new languages.
Sayal shares her passions of travel and world culture to all the Soldiers in the section and motivates everyone to eat healthy and workout. She fosters esprit de corps on road marches by quizzing others with her encyclopedic knowledge of countries and world capitals - a much needed distraction to the crucible of effort required to successfully complete a road march.
Sgt. Billalba, originally from Brooklyn, NY, is focused on advancement in his military career, extending his experience within his functional area, and having a family.
Billalba was entrusted by the company leadership to serve as the communications and signal section’s noncommissioned officer in charge for the forward logistics element under the 369th Sustainment Brigade at the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.
Due to issues with scheduling flights, Billalba arrived late and did not have the luxury of having a formal exchange of information with the outgoing company. Despite those challenges he persevered and made connections with key personnel there to ensure continuous communication operations.
Billalba quickly integrated with the Air Force communications section there and was able to manage and execute tasks without orders or guidance of the cable management within the site’s tactical operations center, eliminated hazards, and ensured safety and quality assurance of communication capabilities.
Now his team handles many troubleshooting tickets a week and proficiently executes tasks typically reserved for a brigade-level communications and signal section. He emphasizes physical fitness for his Soldiers, holding monthly voluntary push up competitions and instructs both his Soldiers and the other Soldiers on site the proper way to lift weights maximizing fitness while minimizing injuries.
Both Sayal and Billalba stand as examples of the outstanding Soldiers among the ranks of the junior enlisted and NCOs of the brigade, and it is why they are the Sustainers of the Week.
| Date Taken: | 02.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.26.2023 11:51 |
| Story ID: | 439210 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Hometown: | NEW YORK, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 217 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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