FORT MCCOY, Wis. – For soldiers like Cpl. Francis Kvarta, a Johnstown, Pa., native, the Army Reserve has become more than a “one weekend a month, two weeks out of the year” obligation. It has become his chosen full-time career path.
Kvarta, currently a supply specialist with the 99th Regional Support Command, based out of Fort Dix, N.J., joined the Army Reserve in October 2010 and is currently on orders with the 99th as the supply sergeant.
“Since I have been in the Army, I have been working in the Army,” Kvarta said. “I like the lifestyle.”
So far in his career, Kvarta said one of his hardest achievements was completing the level two combatives course because of its physical demand. Kvarta also pursues mixed martial arts and ju jitsu outside of the Army Reserve.
“I got second place in the Naga tournament I just did,” he said. “It’s ju jitsu and grappling. That was literally the day after the Best Warrior competition back in New Jersey. I felt pretty good about that one.”
Outside of mixed martial arts, Kvarta has an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science for automotive technology and he said he loves to build cars.
“(I work on) mostly imports, tuner cars, anything really,” he said. “It doesn’t matter; it could be rebuilding the engine, transmission and mostly performance work.”
Before he joined the reserve, Kvarta said he worked with Johnstown Welding and Fabrication building Special Forces vehicles from the frame up. He said joining the reserve, however, made him more disciplined.
“I was not at work on time all of the time, (the Army Reserve) definitely helped me with that,” Kvarta said. “Physically and mentally, it has made me more disciplined.”
Kvarta describes himself as a pretty “squared away” Soldier who has not failed an Army Physical Fitness Test and is currently competing for the title of 2013 Army Reserve Best Warrior.
“I got the AGR position I applied for,” said Kvarta on his goals for his Army Reserve career. “My next focus is that and making E-5 (sergeant). That’s my short term. Eventually, I would like to obtain Warrant Officer and become a property book officer.”
Kvarta said the 2013 Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition will also help prepare him for any future deployments and missions because both are physically and mentally demanding.
“Being with a Civil Affairs unit, I am probably going to deploy and its going to be physically and mentally demanding,” he said. “It also depends on your mental capability or capacity. If you can take it, you can take it.”