Courtesy Photo | Civic Action Team 84-09 with the 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th...... read more read more
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FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii – When 1st Lt. Ryan Thistlewood learned he’d be leading a squad of Soldiers to the island nation Palau in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for six months; he was excited for the opportunity. However, it came with the caveat he’d be playing catch-up as the team already completed their collective training cycle.
Prior to receiving the news, Thistlewood was serving as a Sapper Platoon Leader in 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. With the notification coming right before the winter holiday season, he’d have about a month with the team before they’d depart.
“I was basically second in line to go, someone else was already selected so I didn't think I was going,” said Thistlewood. “Another lieutenant in the unit took the team through all the training and then something came up, and so I got the call and was just excited for the opportunity.”
Path to service
Despite missing the training glidepath to integrate with the team, Ryan possessed the intangible leadership qualities from playing sports for the majority of his life. Thistlewood grew up in Colorado as the middle of three. He was always active growing up, and gravitated towards basketball due to both his parents being collegiate basketball players at the Colorado School of Mines.
As a high school senior, Thistlewood earned all state first team honors as he helped lead his team to the final eight in bracket play during the Colorado State 4A tournament. His former coach at Golden High School in Golden, Colorado, John Anderson, remembers Ryan for his leadership and grit.
“Ryan was the ultimate leader and competitor on the basketball floor,” said Anderson. “His high basketball IQ and work ethic propelled him to be one of the best point guards in the state of Colorado. It was an honor to coach him and follow his success in the Army!”
Thistlewood was recruited to play basketball at George Fox University, realizing a goal he’d set for himself as a kid. While he received plenty of playing time and still loved the game, the uncertainty of life after college started to take shape. That feeling led him to apply for the United States Military Academy during his freshman and sophomore years.
“I got a call from my local rep who was helping me out with the application saying, ‘hey, congratulations, you got it into West Point,’” said Thistlewood. “I was like, ‘No, I didn’t, actually. I got a letter saying I didn't get in and to try again next year.’”
Thistlewood learned someone else must have declined their offer and he was next in the chute. A familiar story that would again play out in his life, but one that’s afforded him plenty of opportunity.
Ryan attributes his desire to serve to his grandfather, Larry Hadley. Hadley enlisted in the Air Force during Vietnam, and went on to earn a commission through officer candidate school before retiring as a captain. He went on to coach for five years at the United State Air Force Academy shooting team.
“Wanting to serve definitely comes from my grandfather. He always wanted one of his grandchildren to go into the military and I always grew up and had a feeling that was the route I was going to take. He’d tell stories about his time in the service when I was a kid, and I guess they kind of stuck and made me want to serve too.”
Hadley doesn’t hold Thistlewood’s choice of service against him, but there’s always plenty to talk about during family gatherings.
When Thistlewood arrived at West Point, he thought about trying to walk-on to the basketball team, but opted for the club handball team instead. He didn’t feel he was good enough to play DI basketball, but fortunately his skillset translated well to the other court. Thistlewood went on to excel as a player on the Army West Point team, and was named captain during his senior year.
Service in Palau
On Feb. 7, 2024 Civic Action Team - 84-09 assumed responsibility for the engineering and community engagement activities on Palau from Civic Action Team 133-31 at the Ngarchamayong Cultural Center. The 84 designation is for the 84th Engineer Battalion, while the 09 is indicative of the ninth rotation for the battalion. The six-month rotations are shared between the Air Force, Navy and Army.
Both the president of Palau and American Ambassador to Palau attended the transfer of authority ceremony, reinforcing the significance of the long standing partnership.
“Since the late 1960s, the Civil Action Team has been an integral part of the Palauan community. These Civic Action Teams have become synonymous with goodwill, collaboration, and selfless service,” said U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Palau, Joel Ehrendreich. “Their tireless efforts have extended far beyond the scope of their military objectives, reaching deep into the fabric of Palauan society. Whenever someone sees the young men and women wearing the CAT Team’s uniform, they know good things are happening for the Palauan people.”
The ambassador’s words weigh heavily on Thistlewood. Not in the sense he carries them as a burden. But rather, a sense of pride knowing he and his team are upholding a legacy and tradition that has spanned seven decades.
The population of Palau is just north of 18,000 people. For comparison, the famed Madison Square Garden where the New York Knicks play has a capacity of 19,500. So, Ryan and his team understand that they will end up part of the community, as they are already starting to see a lot of familiar faces around their camp during planned events.
“So right as you get here, it feels like you're drinking from a firehose,” said Thistlewood. “There's just so many things that they're showing you, that you're learning and just the atmosphere itself seems super hectic. How do you manage 13 people doing 13 different things? On the team itself, there's 11 Different MOSs.”
Despite the initial challenges and handover of duties, Thistlewood’s team is doing great. As expected, he attributes the success to his team, singling out his noncommissioned officer-in-charge, while also highlighting the unique individual qualities the rest of the team brings to the table.
“It’s been a great pleasure working with Lt. Thistlewood. Although he and his team just started with their rotation, they have really hit the ground running and have kept the momentum going with their ‘can do’ spirit,'” said Jennifer Anson, National Security Coordinator. “The enduring relationship between Palau and the U.S. has continued to prosper because of the permanent presence of the Civic Action Team and all the great things that they are able to accomplish year after year.”
There are six primary facets to the Civic Action Team mission: community relations, community construction, medical outreach, monument maintenance, camp maintenance, and the apprenticeship program. Over the next few months, their team will focus on different projects and community engagements that are routinely highlighted on their Facebook page.
Some of our upcoming projects include: installing 700 linear feet of security fencing for a military working dog compound, building a concrete sidewalk for a night market that happens every other Saturday, greenhouses for schools, and renovating emergency shelters people can use in the event of a natural disaster, said Thistlewood.
The team is reviewing best practices from previous Civic Action Teams as each one does business slightly different. There’s quite a bit of autonomy given to the leads, but they are still very connected to the needs of the Palauan community. Thistlewood is the project manager for the team, and plans day to day operations.
“Some of the more fun things we offer are the Zumba classes, that was something we just continued from the previous team; so, Staff Sgt. Frank Aponte and Sgt. Valeria Chavez had to learn Zumba,” said Thistlewood. “We’re also going to take movie night into the community and offer medical check-ups, just another way we’re trying to reach as many people as possible. This is something we took from a previous group."
For Thistlewood, he understands the uniqueness of the mission and the impact his team can make for the people of Palau. Palau plays an integral role in the Indo-Pacific, and Thistlewood and CAT - 84-09 are focused on leaving it all on the court.
“Yeah, the key advice or the thing we were told right as we got here is, ‘you'll know how well you did based on how many people show up to the change of command ceremony.’ And so our goal from the start has been, standing room only.”
| Date Taken: | 03.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.17.2024 21:05 |
| Story ID: | 466387 |
| Location: | PW |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 8th TSC Engineer leads Civic Action Team - Palau, by MAJ Jonathon Daniell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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