Minnesota Army National Guard member, Ukraine native officially becomes U.S. citizen

By Army National Guard Capt. Michael Lovas

Minnesota National Guard

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (3/28/12) – Spc. Yaroslav Sergei Dmytrochenko joined the Minnesota Army National Guard as a Ukrainian citizen, proudly serving as an American Soldier. While deployed to Kuwait he was able to officially earn his U.S. citizenship in a Naturalization Ceremony held at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait Saturday.

He left Minnesota as a Ukrainian and will return home as an American.

Dmytrochenko started his military career in 2008. Like every Soldier, he took an oath pledging to defend the Constitution of the United States. What makes his story different and unique is that when he took that oath, he was not an American citizen, he was a Ukrainian citizen.

He was born in Ukraine in 1989 and his family relocated to Minnesota in. Then he didn’t speak any English, but attended school and worked hard to learn the language by the end of his freshman year of high school.

After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard, as a tank mechanic, and was assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry “Red Bulls” Division.

“I was always thinking of joining” he said. “In Ukraine [all males] have to.”

Along his journey to citizenship he’s had great support and interest from fellow Soldiers.

“A lot of people didn’t know a non-citizen can serve in the military,” Dmytrochenko said. “It’s been a good thing that I had an opportunity to serve.”

In 2011 he deployed to Kuwait as a Ukrainian citizen wearing an American flag patch on his shoulder as an American Soldier.

While in Kuwait, he learned about an opportunity to finally earn his citizenship, something his mother and sister had already been able to complete.

He stood with 14 other service members in the Camp Arifjan Chapel as Ambassador Matthew Tueller, U.S. ambassador to Kuwait and Maj. Gen. Gary Cheek, deputy commanding general-Kuwait of Third Army/U.S. Army Central, observed the Oath of Naturalization. After the oath the 15 service members stood shoulder to shoulder and proudly recited the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time as American citizens.

“It was nice that the Army could help me with this” Dmytrochenko said. “It feels good to be an official citizen.”

Now that he is an American citizen, he is able to obtain a U.S. passport so he can travel back to Ukraine to visit family he hasn’t seen in eight years.

Dmytrochenko posted on his Facebook wall, “I’m officially an American” and said he received more responses than he’s ever had on Facebook. He said the outpouring of support, respect and excitement for him has been amazing.

Kuwait: ACAP counselors visit Minnesota Guard members Kuwait

By Army Cpl. Jordan Johnson

Third Army/ARCENT

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - In efforts to better prepare Soldiers for life after military service, the Third Army/Army Central Command personnel office arranged for three Army Career and Alumni Program counselors to visit Kuwait and help Soldiers transition from active-duty to civilian life.

 “The main effort here is to assist all the Soldiers we have in the Kuwait community,” said Army Col. Eluyn Gines, director of personnel, Third Army. “We managed to bring three counselors from the ACAP services to help with the transition for Soldiers who are redeploying soon.”

Plans were put in place for the counselor visits because of the 1st Brigade Combat team of the 34th Infantry Division, Gines stated.

“Everything started with the Minnesota National Guard unit we have here - the 1/34th,” Gines said. “They will be transitioning back to [Minnesota] very soon. In order to support the unit, the brigade commander was trying to bring employers here and provide job fair services to his organization.”

As far as the job services are concerned, the counselors provide resume-building techniques and teach Soldiers how to conduct an interview. In addition, numerous organizations will be advertising their companies to service members, Gines said.

“We’re hosting a job fair/transition services so the Soldiers from the [Minnesota] National Guard can start working on their resumes; on their transition,” she said. “If they don’t have a job waiting, they can start talking not only with ACAP experts, but also with some of the employers back in Minn. so they can get a job while they’re here.”

If Soldiers have a job waiting for them after leaving active-duty status, the stress of unemployment will be taken away.

“A lot of Soldiers, when they are separated from the military, go home and have no place to go,” Gines said. “The Army is looking at ways to improve the quality of life and give them the opportunity to already have a job.”

Since ACAP services offer so many invaluable benefits to service members, plans are in place to have an ACAP center built here, she said.

“We are working on establishing an ACAP facility,” Gines said. “I hope I can get it established by this summer.”

For the ACAP experts, it’s great to be able to help Soldiers take advantage of opportunities which were non-existent as they left the military.

“When I got off active duty, none of these services existed,” said Lynn Phipps, ACAP counselor. “They’re needed. There are so many things I didn’t know about and I didn’t do. It’s a joy to be able to inform Soldiers of their federal transition entitlements.”

As long as Soldiers know about the benefits, they’ll take advantage of them, Phipps said.

“They’ve earned them, they’ve got them, if they know about them, they’ll use them,” she said.

Because of their dedication to helping Soldiers, the ACAP counselors rearranged their schedules to facilitate Third Army troops. Gines said he was grateful for their sacrifice and commitment to Soldiers.

“I called them at the last minute, and they stopped what they were doing and came here to provide their services,” Gines said. “I’m very appreciative they did because the services they provide for our Soldiers are remarkable. I can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done.”

Gines and Soldiers attending the briefing were thankful for the counselors, and the ACAP experts were also happy to make the trip overseas and assist service members.

“We’d like to thank you for having us here,” said Valecia Ross, ACAP counselor. “It’s been an honor to be here and to help all the Soldiers.”

Kuwait: Guard members participate in coveted Army class

1st Sustainment Command Courtesy report

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (3/12/12) – Two nights a week, a group of Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians meets in a darkened conference room, almost like a secret society.

 But it’s not a secret. This group is taking a class that’s one of the most sought-after in the Army.

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification teaches students how to eliminate waste from processes and reduce defects to 3.4 defects per million in a structured and methodical manner.

Jack Gross is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and is the instructor; like the Star Wars character Yoda, he guides the students through processes and terms that are new to many of them.

“One thing that is great about this class is that it can be taught to virtually anyone,” he said.

Gross recently conducted senior executive-level training for several Army brigadier generals, a Navy rear admiral and a senior executive service manager.

“This training is applicable with any leadership across any organization,” Gross said. “I just had to customize it to be more military than corporate.”

Army Sgt. Aaron D. Emerson, a member of the 325th Combat Support Hospital and a student majoring in economics at Kansas University, said he had never heard of LSS. Many of the aspects are new to him.

“I didn’t realize the statistics involved,” he said.

Army Sgt. Maj. Lonnie Webster, the transportation non-commissioned officer in charge at the 113th Sustainment Brigade, agreed with Emerson, saying he’d never of heard of Lean Six Sigma before taking the class.

“The concepts are not new to me,” Webster said. “It just had a different name to it when I studied it back in grad school.”

Webster said that even though he is more product- than process-oriented, he’s always looked at something and wondered if there was a better way to do it.

Army 2nd Lt. Joseph P. Watson, an infantry platoon leader with the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, said he was familiar with LSS. He said the "lean" portion is applicable to his platoon.

Army Lt. Col. Kim Chavis, the special operations distribution and transportation officer in charge with the 113th SB, started Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training in 2007 through the North Carolina National Guard. Black Belt is one level above than the Green Belt - the classes are more in-depth and the final project is more complex. Chavis did not certify at the time because her workload didn’t allow the time to complete the project.

“They are more focused on getting the project completed here,” she said.

To obtain Green Belt certification, students must attend class two nights a week for five weeks; each class is four hours long. To graduate, students must pass an end-of-course-exam and complete a final project.

Gross said students have approximately 90 days after the end of class to complete the projects, which cover a wide range of subjects.

“If it can be measured, it can be improved,” Gross said, referring to the statistical measurements in process improvement.

Emerson’s and Watson’s projects focus on the operations of their units.

Watson said he spoke with his commander about his project, on streamlining the company’s documentation process.

“I have firsthand experience with lost documents,” Watson said.

Emerson’s project is making his unit’s off-post travel more efficient by eliminating the rework of last minute changes to the mission which create the reproduction of the off-post memorandum and consolidating off post trips

“We operate several troop medical clinics in Kuwait and we go off post several times a week,” he said.

“If there is a change in the personnel going off post or a change in the mission at the last minute, there is a lot of scrambling to correct the off-post documentation,” Watson said.

Since arriving in Kuwait last October 2011 Emerson said he’s completed more than 200 off-post memos.

“I want to the entire process more efficient and avoid the rework,” he said by eliminating the rework of last minute changes to the mission which create the reproduction of the off-post memorandum and consolidating off post trips.

Several of the students focused their final projects on container management. Webster and Chavis are both focusing on tracking carrier-owned containers in Afghanistan.

“There is a real focus to reduce paying commercial carriers extra storage fees and rental fees,” Chavis said.

 Once Chavis completes her final project, she will be a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

 Gross said the class is open to anyone, with the exception of contractors, but he’d like to see that change.

“I would like to see contractors in the class,” he said. “With all the contractors here, I think it would be beneficial for them.”

Webster said even though it’s more difficult to attend class in the evening after spending a full day on duty, from a command standpoint it‘s easier to allow soldiers to attend because their jobs don’t have to be covered while in class.

 Gross has taught the class for several years. His first time teaching Army students was in 2009 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. He has been teaching the class at Camp Arifjan since September 2011.

Classes are usually held every other month and a half; although class size is limited, Gross said he usually won’t turn anyone away.

“I’ve had interest from the other military branches, but they have not signed up,” he said.

 Gross has a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s degree in business administration from Embry-Riddle University. He started his career with Siemens Corporation, where he gained a lot of his training and experience and his Black Belt certification.

 He has been involved with the military since 1995, when he started working for the Navy.

“At the Navy, I was using the practices of Lean Six Sigma in my job,” he said.

Gross, along with other Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belts, occupy a small office at Camp Arifjan.

“We all have varied storied and varied backgrounds,” he said.

 

 There are also three Lean Six Sigma offices in Afghanistan.

 Gross said his favorite thing about teaching the class is interacting with students.

“I like challenge in the classroom,” Gross said. “I welcome it.”

Emerson said anyone attending the class must come with an open mind and be prepared to learn. And he will take this experience and apply it down the road; Watson agreed.

“This will benefit both my military and civilian careers,” Watson said, referring to how popular the certification has become.

“Even though I have to drive from Camp Virginia, it is worth it,” he said. “I am thankful for the opportunity.”

Gross would like to see the class become a requirement for soldiers in leadership positions.

“The class would benefit every single aspect of the Army,” he said.

Chavis recommends anyone take the class, regardless of rank or position.

“However, you have to take the class seriously,” she said. “What you put into it, you get of it.”

Webster also said he would encourage anyone to take the class.

“It’s another tool in the toolbox,” he said. “But if anyone does attend, they need to pay attention and take good notes.”

Gross said Soldiers interested in enrolling in a Lean Six Sigma class, should contact their local Education Center.

Kuwait: Tennessee Guard mother, daughter duo serving up smiles

By Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Regina Machine
Tennessee National Guard

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (2/3/12) – Deploying with a family member can usually ease the stress of being away from home. For two service members, being deployed with a family member is a delightful recipe for a successful deployment.

 Army Spc. Theresa Stoner and Spc. Crystal Stoner, mother and daughter respectively, are food service specialists assigned to 230th Engineer Battalion, Tennessee National Guard, working together at the dining facility here.

The Stoners, however, are no strangers to deployment. Crystal’s father, an infantryman, had just returned from a yearlong tour in Iraq during the summer of 2010. They spent two weeks together before Crystal left for her six-month advanced individual training.

Crystal, who graduated Dec. 2010 and has dreams of being a personal chef one day, was in AIT when her mother informed her they would be deploying together to Kuwait.

“It was during one of those five minute phone conversations,” Crystal said, “and I said ‘Oh that’s cool.’”

Theresa had doubts initially about the both of them being deployed together.

“At first, I had to admit it scared me,” Theresa said, “but now I don’t know how I could do this without her. She keeps me balanced. I have this sense of family here.”

Crystal agreed about the importance of deploying with family. She recently volunteered to join her brother on his upcoming deployment next year.

“I am young and single with no dependents, and I know my brother,” Crystal said. “I want to be there for him.”

Theresa reflected on her daughter’s decision to deploy with her brother next year. “Deployments are always rough, and it helps to have a family member around and to have someone volunteer to go really takes the edge off.”

For Crystal, being deployed with her mom also comes with challenges.

“Because I am the child, sometimes people will say to me you have your mom here and give me a hard time when I go out to the movies,” Crystal said. “Once the movie is over, my friends ask me if I need to get back home to my mom.”

There is also an issue of not having enough time to spend with each other. They work different shifts, and at times, they only see each other long enough to say goodnight.

“Because I have a family member with me during this deployment, I want to make time for her,” Crystal said, “but there are time restraints because we work two different shifts, and I take online courses. We see each other one full day a week.”

Thoughts do drift to home often, and Theresa knows her husband can now truly understand what it is like to be at home and vice versa.

“I just appreciate all of the support,” Theresa said. “My husband is doing such a great job with the kids; it amazes me. I did not realize he could take on my responsibilities at home as well as he has. He understands me a little bit better, I think, because he has to do what I did all those years. He’s taken to the role of being the sole-caregiver, and I am proud of him.”

NSA Naples Dog Handler Earns Combat Meritorious Advancement for IA Duty

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Felicito Rustique, Navy Public Affairs Support Element–East Detachment Europe

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Warren Brown, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., was advanced to the rank of MA2 class during a pinning ceremony held Aug. 16, at the Capodichino base theater.

Brown, who is assigned to the military working dog (MWD) division at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples, was nominated for advancement under the Navy's Combat Meritorious Advancement Program.

Brown earned his nomination in May during a nine-month deployment to Kuwait and Afghanistan, where he was attached to an Army unit and worked as a dog handler searching for explosives.

"I was originally assigned to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait," said Brown. "About three months through, I was re-assigned to Afghanistan. I feel like my performance made a difference and that the Army appreciated my work," said Brown.

Brown also said he believes deploying as an individual augmentee is just part of his job, which he handled to the best of his ability.

"As a handler, we are on a constant rotation for deployment and it was my turn to go," said Brown. "I have learned a lot and have grown in both my personal life and career."

NSA Naples Kennel's leading petty officer, MA1 (FMF) Michelle D. Mruk, spoke highly of Brown and his dog.

"I am extremely proud of what he accomplished while he was deployed," said Mruk. "MA2 and his dog, MWD Block, have grown as a team during their deployment and it makes the program here proud of what they have done." Mruk also offered words of praise to all dog handlers who deploy.

"Our dog teams are making an impact on the war and not often enough are they recognized for their actions," said Mruk. "Brown is a sterling example of the hard work and dedication that saves the lives of both our military members and civilians in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq."