Torch Party Part 1 ...

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I had never heard of a "Torch Party" either, but I am hear to tell you that we really exist! Best I can figure is we are somewhat like the Olympic Torch bearer. Before the games these crazy people run for miles and miles carrying this silly torch, just to light this big flame in some stadium packed with people who cheer and cheer when the flame gets lit from the torch. Well, that's us! The State of North Dakota sent 13 soldiers to Camp Atterbury ahead of everyone else to lead the way into Camp Atterbury. Only thing is...Nobody is inside a stadium cheering! We have nearly completed our torch run and the military's form of the olympics is not as nearly cool to watch on TV!

If you remember a few weeks ago I wrote that “the 13 of us” showed up here at Camp Atterbury. That is what has consisted of our “Torch” element. North Dakota sent 13 soldiers to manage the movement into the mobilization station for the entire Task Force. For some reason all of us were looking forward to the challenge, but as it turns out, our 13 soldiers represent less than 1 percent of the entire force reporting for duty here at Camp Atterbury. What were we thinking? Thirteen people to do all this "stuff". ugh.

We brought what I consider to be the most qualified soldiers by both their professional knowledge and capabilities and most certainly their personalities. It is a complimentary mix between officers and enlisted personnel, but slightly skewed by section specialties.

Based on what we believed the duties to be at the time of our departure we selected a mix that consisted of: a couple soldiers who know most everything about computers and technology to include military radio systems; administrative personnel who are focused on manning rosters, processes that track personnel, and would have to deal with all the paperwork that would accompany each individual soldier that would be necessary for an overseas deployment; a team focused on logistics that would include transportation, supplies, lodging, food services, maintenance and the placement of vehicles for training; and of course the operations specialists who can deal with training preparation , and with the enormous task of putting the entire operation together. Mostly the operations cell has the “big picture” that is capable of putting the sustainment piece (admin, technology and logistics) into a package that complements but doesn’t interfere with the processing of soldiers into their active duties responsibilities and training needs.

Our team of 13 is led by a Colonel who in all rights has the incredible capability to see the immediate needs and also the future requirements that will drive the next few months of preparation for our mission in Kosovo. She has a very aggressive and integrated style of leadership and has had the foresight to allow us to do our jobs without getting in our way but still stay involved in all aspects of our individual support functions. She has balanced all our personalities and to add to her challenge we brought mostly “type A” personalities and each and every one of us officers are extremely autonomous workers who have the ability to be somewhat territorial about our individual professions.

The operations officer is about the smartest soldier I have ever met. Having just completed a three year tour in Ghana serving as the Bilateral Affairs Officer representing the State of North Dakota. He brings to the table a calmness and professional savvy that has an international level flare and can be very diplomatic in his delivery of words to both the average soldier and unit leadership alike. Quick witted with the ability to mix humor and decision making skills, he has seamlessly put all the training and operations pieces together that has made the transition from weekend soldier to active duty almost effortless for the leaders of the units who are beginning to infiltrate Camp Atterbury.

We like to call her the “The Beltway Princess”! A North Dakotan by birth but she has spent most of her career in the throngs of Washington DC working at the national level for the National Guard. She leads our administrative team that has the gigantic responsibility to ensure that we always have a good count of soldiers both incoming and outgoing, and that all their legal, financial, and medical records are accounted for and managed for the next year. She is a bouncy Lieutenant Colonel who prides herself on near perfection and has mentored her staff of three to embrace the capability of technology and process improvement. Her right arm man returned about a year ago from a deployment to Iraq and although has the stance of an old gruff NCO (non-commissioned officer), smokes like a chimney and can effortlessly stare anyone down with intimidation, he has spent the time to train his young specialists in his own special way that has left them eager to work until all hours of the night in support of mission. These two soldiers hale from very different backgrounds. One from Michigan and one from North Dakota. One a city girl and the other one…well she’s from North Dakota! One is married (in fact her husband will also be deploying with us) and the other has a boyfriend back home. They really have nothing in common other than they are a blast to be around! The silliness and professional innocence that still allows them to completely immerse themselves in their jobs and still have so much fun.

The technology boys. Must I say that they are of the younger generation! While I am trying to figure out how to save a simple document on my desktop they have networked printers in the building, solved complicated computer system challenges and tackled the hierarchy of Camp Atterbury all by themselves while trying to ensure that this Task Force going to Kosovo has everything they need for the upcoming training exercises and just the daily requirements for us to communicate back home with the internet. A couple of staff sergeants who are the kings of their own regime, complete with their own language and hand and arms signals. They have procured hundreds of laptops, printers, telephones, radios and copiers for a small army.. literally. Aggressive in their pursuance of equipment and relentless in their efforts, there has not been a plug that has gone unchecked and power source that will be missed. These are the guys who make us all look good who on most days are my best friends based on how many times I have them come and fix my issues that have been created by my lack of technological insight.


This describes a little bit about the folks that have been working side by side with me. It has been twenty-one days of intense preparation for us and now we are ready for the soldiers to finish showing up to Camp Atterbury from across the country. I have saved my most treasured piece of the team for last. So stay tuned! Tomorrows update will be focused around the… LOGISTICS TEAM!

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