SEITZ ANNEX, Iraq - The Support Operations transportation officer of the 393rd Combat Support Battalion is well-known by his favorite slogan: "Nothing moves, until I move it!"
Capt. Wendell Albert is pretty much on the spot with that statement; in his position he oversees all cargo coming into or leaving the Central Receiving and Shipping Point located next to Seitz Annex.
He also keeps track of the movement of all Soldiers falling under the 393rd when they go on combat logistics patrols.
Although he is a transportation officer, he had to relearn his job since he arrived in theater in March. He is an Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) Soldier, who was cross-leveled into the 393rd from a transportation company in Mobil, Ala.
"On the AGR side of the house, I was the operations and intelligence officer," Albert explained. "If you haven't done transportation for a while, you still have to learn it all over again."
Albert did just that. When his section was training with the unit they replaced, he wanted to jump in and take control almost immediately, instead of going through the customary 10-day battle handover.
"I am kind of aggressive," Albert said. "I catch on quick. I told those guys:
"Let me get in. I"d rather make a mistake while you are still here so you can correct me, so I won't make a mistake when you are gone.""
Capt. Luis Vega, the 393rd adjutant, described Albert as "outgoing, honest and very religious." The plus that Albert brings to the table in the unit is his professionalism, passion and good sense of humor, Vega added.
Other Soldiers around him know Albert as a hard charger. He attributes his success not only to his work ethic, but also the great support he receives from his section.
"I have the best supporting staff right now here in country. They don't complain, they work 24/7. They do anything I ask them to do," Albert said.
Although he only joined the Army Reserve unit from Puerto Rico as they were training up for the deployment in Indiana, he said he fit in very quickly and was well-received, thanks to his outgoing personality.
"I got in, I introduced myself. I just made myself feel at home . . . The guys in the unit took me in as one of their own, like I have been there forever."
Vega agrees, "Considering the fact that he had never worked with his current crew, he fits very well."
Albert thinks that Soldiers like and respect him partly because he used to be enlisted and he knows and understands both the enlisted and officer sides of the house. "I tell everybody in the world, to me, that is the best officer, and I don't say it because I am an officer."
Albert says that officers are taught to be leaders, whereas noncommissioned officers are doers.
"I am a doer, a listener and a leader. I combine those together. I don't mind going out getting dirty. That is what the enlisted side has given me; the will and the drive to go out there and help that fellow Soldier if he needs help."
Vega thinks that the fact that Albert was enlisted before allows him to visualize the execution portion of a plan from the point of view of the NCOs.
Albert contributes his drive to three factors in his life. "The most important reason is God. I have a loving wife and family, they are the second reason for my drive."
The third one is him wanting to take all the Soldiers he deployed with safely home, he said.
He went on explaining, that although he has been in the Army for 21 years and five months, he is planning to stay in another 14 years before he retires, sharing his experiences and extraordinary drive with Soldiers around him.
"This is a Soldier that is totally committed to the mission, his Soldiers and his family," Vega said.
| Date Taken: |
06.09.2006 |
| Date Posted: |
06.09.2006 13:32 |
| Story ID: |
6770 |
| Location: |
SEITZ ANNEX, IQ |
| Web Views: |
210 |
| Downloads: |
131 |
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