By Army Sgt. Christopher Bonebrake
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Sept. 18,
2012 – Army Sgt. Alex Peyton, an agricultural specialist from Gothenburg, Neb.,
bristles with weapons and gear as he sits quietly in a wooden chair, surveying
the world outside the wire at Forward Operating Base Gardez here.
Pulling guard duty is not one of his
regular tasks, but as a member of the Nebraska National Guard’s agribusiness
development team, the agricultural section for the Paktia Provincial
Reconstruction Team, he must do his part to keep his fellow service members
safe.
In high school, Peyton was more
interested in becoming a veterinarian than a veteran.
“I’ve always loved animals, and I worked
for a local veterinarian during high school and pursued animal science during
my first couple years in college,” he said.
Peyton credits his grandfather with
first sparking his interest in serving in the military. “My dad would tell me
stories about my grandfather when he served in the Big Red One during World War
II,” he said.
Ever since Peyton joined the Nebraska
National Guard in 2007, he has not looked back.
“It was one of the best decisions I ever
made,” he said. “I serve because when I wear the uniform, it’s an honor that is
hard to explain. It gives me a great feeling when I put it on.”
Peyton deployed to Iraq in 2010 to serve
as an intelligence analyst. While he was there, he heard about the agricultural
development teams the National Guard was deploying to Afghanistan to help
infrastructure development.
When he returned from Iraq, Peyton said,
he was looking for summer work and started looking into agronomy -- the study
of farming. He worked for a friend at his church taking soil samples and
identifying pests, and found that he loved it.
“When I heard about this deployment, I
thought it would be a great opportunity to get out in the field and do what I’m
learning on the civilian side,” he said. “I’m here to help the people of
Afghanistan become better farmers, but at the same time learn about early
farming practices.”
There is no specific course designed to
train agricultural specialists in the Army. Selection for being on an
agribusiness development team is based upon experience in the civilian world,
including education. Peyton was selected because of his work with animals and
his current pursuit of a degree from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in agronomy.
He said he believes that his experiences in Afghanistan will make him a better
student and potential employee when he returns next year.
On a typical mission, Peyton talks with
Afghan farmers to assess how the team can better help them improve the quality
of their crops. The team also conducts quality assurance and quality control
missions, examining the farmers’ produce to see if the training they have
received has made an impact.
Army Sgt. 1st Class John Ruden, Peyton’s
first-line leader, describes him as very capable.
“He has a lot of potential for more
leadership roles and responsibilities,” Ruden said. “He loves to engage with
the local populace and teach them about agriculture. When there’s a chance to
go out, he’s always eager to do the mission.
“His work ethic is really good, as
well,” Ruden added. “If I give him a task, he’ll do it. He may ask me five
different questions about how to do it, but that’s because he wants to do it
right, which is great.”
Army Lt. Col. William Prusia, the team’s
officer in charge, described Peyton as a motivated and dedicated soldier who
makes a significant contribution to the team.
“Sergeant Peyton is a very sharp and
knowledgeable young man,” Prusia said. “He brings a unique skill set to the
team that is invaluable. I don’t know many guys in their 20s who have the
knowledge and experience he has.”
When he gets home, Peyton said, he plans
to finish his degree in agronomy and stay in the National Guard until he
reaches at least the rank of master sergeant.
“I continue to serve because I have so
many friends who got out early and regret it,” he said. “Overall, I’m really
happy I joined and enjoy what I do here. I’d rather stay in than get out and
look back with regret.”
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