JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Sgt. 1st Class Karl Baum knows all about military legacies.
His grandfather was a World War II veteran and a brigadier general in the Oregon Army National Guard. His father served in the Oregon Guard as well, attaining the rank of captain.
And while it may seem easy to shroud Baum with the recognizable trappings of a military family, the 28-year-old, full-time accountant from La Grande Ore., doesn’t seem all that interested in talking about his lineage.
That’s because he’d rather be out on the roads of Iraq leading his soldiers.
Baum, an operations non-commissioned officer for Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, 77th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, is no stranger to public service.
He deployed to Iraq the first time with the 3rd Bn. in 2004. He returned to Iraq again in November 2010 when the 3rd Battalion secured the mission of escorting combat logistics convoys across central and northern Iraq.
Baum spent the first portion of his deployment in charge of a convoy escort team. Baum guided the 2nd CET in D Company’s 1st Platoon before he was reassigned to be an operations NCO.
Baum said though he understands how important his job as an operations NCO is, he still misses the time out on the road with his soldiers.
“It was awesome just being with the Joes,” Baum said.
Baum said the tight-knit structure of the convoy escort team is unique and is an element he misses nearly every day.
“It is all because of the guys, the camaraderie,” he said.
Whether it is leading a convoy escort team or functioning as an operations NCO, Baum takes his leadership responsibilities seriously. Being a leader, Baum said, is about more than just wearing rank or showing up.
“You have to be willing to sacrifice your time. And you have to be willing to seek feedback from the lower enlisted,” he said.
Management at the NCO level, he said, has a lot to do with the age-old tenants of leading by example and setting firm boundaries.
“I don’t look at it like I have to light someone up. You want to foster an environment where your success is their success and where you focus on accountability,” he said.
Baum does not trace his success as a leader to himself but to his soldiers.
“I had good troops under me that made it easy to lead,” he said.
Baum said D Company is a young unit, and that fact cuts both ways in terms of mission execution.
“It is good and bad. We execute well on the NCO side, though,” he said. “Someone always takes the ball, and that takes initiative.”
Baum admitted the roads of Iraq can be dangerous, but he also said he has a great deal of faith in the durability of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles his unit utilizes for convoy escort missions.
“I never worried too much about getting hit,” he said. “Being that the military gave us a piece of equipment designed to withstand a blast.”
Baum said he believes Iraq is far better off now than it was under Saddam Hussein.
“I think [the Iraqis] are in a lot better shape. I don’t think you can put a price on freedom. The question I always ask is ‘What would you do for your freedom?’” Baum said.
In a few short weeks, the 3rd Bn. will be back in the United States putting the final touches on a one-year tour of duty. Baum said he is looking forward to spending time with his wife, Molly, and the rest of his family.
“I plan on doing some hunting and going on a vacation with my wife,” he said.
| Date Taken: |
08.21.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
08.21.2011 04:05 |
| Story ID: |
75682 |
| Location: |
JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: |
275 |
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0 |
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