Dave Jackson, Civil Engineering Tech for the Pacific Northwest
Construction Office, Deployed to Iraq
![When he returned to his duties in Resources Management, Jeff Smith received a warm welcome from his co-workers and friends and a commemorative plaque. [LCR photo]](images/BORBRFSFEBdave.jpg) |
| Civil Engineering Technician Dave Jackson feels prepared for his deployment to Iraq. |
Dave Jackson, Civil Engineering Tech for the Pacific Northwest Construction Office, has spent one weekend a month and two weeks a year over three years with the local National Guard Unit, the 792nd Chemical Company. His duties with his unit include training in detecting and marking potential nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) sites, along with basic combat skills training.
However, once he arrives in Iraq, his duties may include providing security, stabilization and other support for military units due to rotate back to the United States. The deployment incorporates seven months of training at Fort Lewis, an Army post located near Tacoma Washington.
Jackson joined the regular Army in 1975 and served until 1978. During that time, he served in a transportation unit with the 9th Infantry Division. After serving in the Army, Jackson earned a two-year degree as a Forestry Technician.
He spent several years at a variety of jobs including the Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Federal Highway Administration, land surveying and commercial fishing in Alaska. Jackson joined Reclamation in 1992.
As an Engineering Technician for Reclamation, Jackson has worked on many projects. A couple of interest includes surveying, quantity calculations, and contract submittals work on both Keechelus and Wickiup Dams. Dave is known to be an excellent surveyor and you cannot find anyone better at quantity calculations.
Jackson feels prepared for his deployment and for coping with the issues that arise with deployment. He is looking forward to doing his duty and doing what he can to help the citizens in Iraq have a better life. He has a positive outlook on the new experience he is facing but is not looking forward to the somewhat restricted life of living on an American compound in a foreign country. Jackson said, “There won’t be much sightseeing”.
On July 31st, the National Guard in Yakima held a community sendoff ceremony for the unit. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of family and friends as well as several local and state politicians. Born in Port Townsend, Washington, Jackson has seven brothers and one sister. His parents live in Davenport, Washington.
Smith returns to the desert from the desert
By Steve Leon, Public Affairs Specialist, Lower Colorado Regional Office
![When he returned to his duties in Resources Management, Jeff Smith received a warm welcome from his co-workers and friends and a commemorative plaque. [LCR photo]](images/BORBRFSFEBJeffSmith79.jpg) |
| When he returned to his duties in Resources Management, Jeff Smith received a warm welcome from his co-workers and friends and a commemorative plaque. [LCR photo] |
“My thoughts were on my wife Cassandra and my children – Jeff Jr., Juliann, Evan and Jesse. I carried a picture of them everywhere I went. It was hard for me to leave home not knowing if I would ever see my family again.”
Those were the heartfelt thoughts of Jeff Smith who returned early last month after a 13-month tour of duty as Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army. Early last month, SFC Smith returned to his civilian life after a deployment to Ash Shuaiba Port, Kuwait. He had been deployed with the 143rd Transportation Command, based at Orlando, Florida.
While at work in the Lower Colorado Region, Smith has three job titles – Regional Hazardous Material coordinator, Integrated Pest Management coordinator, and Natural Resource Damage Assessment coordinator. As a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army Reserve, he has other duties, however. In that environment, SFC Smith serves in the 7th Battalion (TC), 104th Regiment, 4th Brigade (CSS), 104th Division (IT), based in Pasadena, California.
With Reclamation, Smith ensures there is Regional compliance with all federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Clean Water Act; Clean Air Act; Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act; Toxic Substance Control Act; and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. While on military duty, SFC Smith also has varied responsibilities – a petroleum supply specialist with the 9th Infantry Division Deactivation HazMat Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge, Transportation coordinator instructor, Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Transportation instructor, and Sea Port Safety and HazMat officer.
“One of the more memorable experiences [for me during this last deployment] was when the country of Kuwait lost electricity and the three oil refineries that surrounded us had to vent their products,” Smith said. “Some of the refinery stacks had flames up to 200 feet tall. It looked like a picture from Dante’s Inferno.
“Another memorable experience occurred during some of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation functions. I had the opportunity to meet with Wolf Blitzer from CNN, and Franco Harris and Lydel Mitchel who are both in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Sometimes you get into a routine and then there is a major change in this routine. The natural man reaction is to ask, ‘Why the change?’ since everything seems to be working fine the way it is, or there is refusal to this change. During my deployment, I learned that change is good and there are times that we need to not ask why, but agree to the change. The other concept was safety. You can be doing everything right and still become injured or [get] killed.”
Of all his military experiences, Smith said the most significant happened while stationed at Fulda, Germany. “I was on duty when the Berlin Wall came down and the border between East and West Germany was opened,” he said. But, he added, “Coming home to America was the most pleasant experience about serving overseas!”
Smith has been in the military for 20 years, since June 1985, when his military/federal career began at Fort Lewis, Washington. Coincidently, he served in active duty then for seven years until 1992, and he has worked in the Region also for seven years, December 1998 to the present. He expects he will return to active duty, “. . . in about 24 to 36 months due to shortage of military personnel,” he said.
“Many sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands and wives have given their lives in support of the freedoms we enjoy in the greatest country in the world. Please keep the men and women serving in the armed forces in your prayers and please keep supporting their efforts,” said Smith.
“I want to salute the real heroes during my deployment. They are my wife and children. Cassandra had to be father, mother, doctor, referee, accountant, handyman, and many other jobs, while continuing to work full-time. I love her with all my heart, mind and soul, and there is nothing in this world I can do to make up for the time that I have lost with her and my children,” he added.
Jackson Office Commended for Support of Troops
By Shayne Banks, Jackson Field Office
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| BLM Jackson office: From left, Jackson Field Office Manager Bruce Dawson received the Mississippi Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’s highest honor, the Pro Patria Award, from Mississippi’s Adjutant Major General Harold Cross on Nov. 18, 2005. At center, Michelle Barrett (Bruce’s wife) joined the award presentation. |
The Jackson Field Office has earned the Pro Patria Award, the highest honor awarded by the Mississippi Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. The award is given to the top Mississippi company, organization, or individual that has supported employees serving in the military.
The Latin phrase “Pro Patria” translates “For the country.” Mississippi’s Adjutant Major General Harold Cross presented the award to Bruce Dawson Field Manager of Jackson Field office (BLM-Eastern States) at a ceremony in Jackson, Miss., on Nov. 18, 2005.
In the spring of 2004, when employees of the Jackson Field Office began seeing friends and family being deployed to fight the War on Terrorism, they decided to make a difference. Their first step was to adopt the 185th Aviation Group, which was stationed outside of Baghdad, Iraq.
Working with their family support group, the office started a drive to send each member of the unit a care package. Several months later, they made the trek to the U.S. Post Office with more than 100 care packages.
The 185th was extremely appreciative, and the office became known to the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, which has a network of more than 4,500 volunteers on 54 committees located in each state, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Europe.
he Mississippi Committee’s primary goal was to gain and maintain active support from all public- and private-sector employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve as defined by demonstrated employer commitment to employee military service.
In the summer of 2005, employees in the Jackson Field Office learned that one of their own, Geographic Information Specialist Brian Kennedy, was called to active duty. He is currently stationed in Afghanistan and expects to be there for about a year. The office has sent 13 care packages to Brian and plans to mail several more during the next several months. Receiving the Pro Patria Award was a tremendous honor for the employees, and they plan to continue showing support to the troops in all ways possible.
USGS Sponsors Fishing Trip for Injured Soldiers and Marines
By Jim Fleming, USGS
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| Successful angler from Walter Reed Medical Center with one of many trout caught. |
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Frank Roach of the Leetown Science Center helps Chase Savage with catch. |
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| Center Director Bill Palmisano welcomes servicemen from Walter Reed Army Medical Center to the Leetown Science Center. |
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| Fishing facility at the Leetown Science Center hosts servicemen from Walter Reed Army Medical Center. |
Smiles of joy and confidence were seen as the first trout was landed on a fishing trip sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
On September 23, 13 soldiers and marines recovering from injuries resulting from the current war, arrived at the USGS Leetown Science Center in Kearneysville, W.Va. Center Director Bill Palmisano and the trip organizers, Frank Roach of the science center and Jim Fleming of the USGS Cooperative Research Units program, greeted the Walter Reed bus.
USGS volunteers readied the fishing gear as the troops received an orientation to the science center and to the special fishing facility constructed to meet the needs of disabled persons. Due to the association that the science center has with a nearby USDA aquaculture research facility, trout were plentiful!
Once fishing began, the heat of the September morning was little noticed as cries of “fish on” could be heard around the pond. Using standard equipment and helped by volunteers when necessary, the men tested their wits, angling skills, and prosthetic devises against rainbow trout averaging from two to five pounds.
This was the first fishing experience for some of the soldiers and Marines and for many others an opportunity to pursue their lifelong passion for fishing. By noon, more than 50 fish had been caught and it was time for a welcomed break and visit.
Conversations revealed that several soldiers and Marines were interested in fish, wildlife, and parks as a potential profession upon discharge from the military service. It is obvious, from discussions with these military men, that the Department of the Interior (DOI) has plenty to offer these heroes as they recover from their wounds and return to civilian life. DOI has a variety of opportunities in the Washington, D.C., metro area for providing recreation and education to military personnel at military hospitals. Activities sponsored by DOI can help soldiers and Marines test their skills.
At the end of the day, the men were cheered as they re-boarded the bus to Walter Reed. There were smiles; there were tears.
“We witnessed dedicated service men beginning to rebuild their lives, mastering their new limbs, and gaining confidence in their abilities,” said Frank Roach. Whether it was the soldier that refused help when tying a fly to his line, or the Marine joking with others about his successes in catching the most fish, the messages of hope, perseverance and personal accomplishment were clear.
“We were honored to extend this opportunity to some of our dedicated people who have given so much to our country,” said Bill Palmisano. “We will welcome them back.”