I joined the military after the events of September 11, 2001. In fact, I spoke with a recruiter on September 12th. I swore my oath of enlistment in the Arizona Army National Gaurd on April 9th, 2002. I attended combined Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where I achieved Honor Graduate status. My first unit was Charlie Battery, 2-180th Field Artillery. I deployed with that unit for Operation Iraqi Freedom as a Military Police gunner. We provided convoy escorts and force protection.
Not long after that deployment, Arizona disbanded its Field Artillery units and I was forced to choose a different Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). I chose 25U, Signal Systems Support Specialsist. In the Army, they just call me "the commo guy".
I am currently deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Spartan Shield. I'm the Battalion Communications Chief, responsible for setting up, maintaining, and defending the battalion's communications infrastructure across the entire digital and RF spectrum. I work closely with the staff to plan and implement secure communications solutions to enable mission success.
Along with my communications team, I am responsible for over 400 computer network accounts (Secret as well as Unclassified), 250 computers, all cellular and VoIP phones, Blue Force Tracking/FBCB2, VSAT terminals, HF, VHF, and UHF tactical radios. My additional appointed duties are:
COMSEC Manager
Information Management Officer
Telephone Control Officer
Information Assurance Officer
Enhanced Trusted Agent
Further duties include management of Active Directory, creation of accounts, and manage the IT/Cell Phone/Radio helpdesk for Task Force Phoenix. I direct resources and respond to all communications incidents and trouble-tickets. My team and I troubleshoot network and device issues using Fluke Networks test equipment.
As the S6 NCOIC, I create and implement Battle Drills for mitigating emergency situations, including full and partial network outages, power disruption, cross-domain violations, personal information (PII) leakage, and other significant acts. Manage, track, and maintain over 600 pieces of Information Technology and communications hardware throughout the Battalion areas of operation.
As the S6 NCOIC, I create and implement Battle Drills for mitigating emergency situations, including full and partial network outages, power disruption, cross-domain violations, personal information (PII) leakage, and other significant acts. Manage, track, and maintain over 600 pieces of Information Technology and communications hardware throughout the Battalion areas of operation.
This is my communications team. I could not ask for a better group of soldiers; they keep me sane and make this deployment bearable. I would honestly be lost without these characters.Their unflagging morale, expertise, and phenominal attitude are a force-multiplier.
The nature of the job often means stressful situations and long hours. It is incredibly important to balance that with fun whenever possible.
A big part of being a Non-Comissioned Officer is training and mentoring the soldiers. Here, I taught a class on antenna theory, walked my team through the calculations, then guided them in creating a field-expedient antenna with a tarp, some aluminum foil, and a can of spray adhesive. The antenna was fully functional when we completed it (see below), and operated from 2.4GHz to 50MHz.
Completed field-expedient Planar-Toothed Log Periodic Antenna
This is another field-expedient antenna I designed and built while with 1-285th Attack Helicopter Battalion. We were situated at a remote retransmission site, but due to distance and terrain, we could not provide an effective communications link between the helicopters on the range and Flight Operations while using the Army-issued omni-directional antennas. I found some metal pipe and some scrap wood, and constructed a Yagi-Uda Directional Beam Antenna. The directional gain enabled communications back to the Tactical Operations Center (TOC).
Below are some photos from OIF III, taken from October, 2004 to January, 2006
In 2008, I went to school for 25U