ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Junior enlisted soldiers from the Virginia Army National Guard 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan enjoyed a rare Thanksgiving Day treat, Nov 24, when senior leaders stepped in to take over manning the entry control point so their soldiers could enjoy the day off.
“It’s our opportunity to give something back to the soldiers who are the backbone of this operation,” said Col. Eric Barr of Sterling, Va., the brigade deputy commander. “We do a lot of high-visibility things, but the reason we’re free to do that is because we’ve got tons of hard working soldiers out there, particularly the junior enlisted, who are manning the ECPs and doing all the other details that free us up to do what we need to do. It’s a way to say thank you and give them a break.”
Many of the soldiers haven’t had a day off since July 3, so when the list for volunteers came out, it was filled within a couple of hours, along with a waiting list of senior leaders wanting to help out and give their soldiers some down time.
“When I provided the plan to Colonel Ortner and Command Sergeant Major Yancey, despite their busy schedules, they were the first to sign up for shifts,” said Lt. Col. William Zana, the brigade executive officer, from Fairfax, Va.
Showing appreciation for their soldiers was a big part of the reason so many leaders were eager to sign up.
“The senior leaders like to take those opportunities to give soldiers a break when they can,” said Col. Blake Ortner, a soldier from Stafford, Va., and the brigade commander. “It’s a sign of appreciation. We know that enlisted soldiers have it a lot tougher than the officers. Getting them the day off is always worthwhile.”
Besides giving soldiers some time off, there is a purpose of even greater value in the service the senior leaders provided.
“We sometimes lose appreciation for all the work that goes on when we don’t see it,” said Lt. Col. Preston Scott, from Yorktown, Va., the brigade operations officer. “You’re very familiar with what you see day to day, but there’s so much work that goes on behind the scenes that our great soldiers are doing for us. As leaders, we should be willing and able to do whatever we ask our soldiers to do. It’s a small gesture to the soldiers who do so much to contribute to what we do here.”
Getting the day off was outstanding, said Sgt. Thomas Dickenson, a soldier from Roanoke, Va., who works at the ECP.
Dickenson spent his day catching up on paperwork, watching a movie, and calling home, while other soldiers worked on correspondence courses, took naps, went to the gym and played video games.
| Date Taken: |
11.24.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
11.28.2011 08:58 |
| Story ID: |
80608 |
| Location: |
QALAT, AF |
| Web Views: |
128 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, 116th senior leaders take control of ECP during holiday celebrations, by SSG Rebecca Petrie, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
