presorted standard us postage paid permit #88 enfield, ct

More documents

Recommendations

Info

O’Sullivan is New Command Chief Warrant Officer By Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Maes, Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs On Sept. 13, 2007, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Thomas M. O’Sullivan, of Medway, is the new command chief warrant officer of the Army National Guard. As such, he is the principal advisor to the director of the Army National Guard for all matters pertaining to management, accessions, training and utilization of the more than 9,000 warrant officers of the Army National Guard. His duties also include representing the director at meetings, conferences and seminars pertaining to warrant officer issues and coordinating information flow from the National Guard Bureau to the Command Chief Warrant Officers of the 54 states and territories. O’Sullivan has served in the National Guard for nearly 40 years, beginning his career in “The Nation’s First,” the 1st Battalion, 182d Infantry Regiment. He began his career as an enlisted Soldier, rising to the rank of sergeant first class. In 1981, he accepted an appointment as warrant officer and has since held various positions throughout the Massachusetts Army National Guard culminating with his appointment as the first command chief warrant officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2001. In civilian life, O’Sullivan worked for nearly 30 years at the Shawsheen Valley Vocational Technical High School in Billerica. In 2006, he left his position as director of special education at the school after receiving a “by-name” request to serve as a senior policy analyst in the J5 section at National Guard Bureau. O’Sullivan served full-time there until his appointment as the Army National Guard’s command chief warrant officer in mid- September. O’Sullivan’s family is a source of pride and strength for him while he serves in Washington, D.C. His wife, Elizabeth, a recent retiree from the Massachusetts Army National Guard, resides at the family home in Medway. They have four children, Erin, Bryan, Tess and Thomas; and a grand - daughter, Jordan. The Minuteman recently had the opportunity to talk with O’Sullivan about his career, the Guard and his new assignment. Q What does the future hold for warrant officers in the Army National Guard? “As the Guard continues to transition from a strategic reserve to an A operational force, warrant officers will have an increasingly significant impact at all command levels.” Q What is the biggest change to the Army National Guard that you’ve witnessed during your career? “Since the First Muster in 1636, this country has never asked for a A larger and more sustained commitment from its Citizen-Soldiers. Never before have we been called upon as an operational force while simultaneously and holistically performing our dual role as Citizen- Soldiers of Massachusetts.” Q Specifically, how have warrant officers and the warrant officer program changed? “While continuing to serve as the Army’s preeminent source of A technical expertise, we are increasingly called upon to serve as leaders. As such, we are constantly seeking the best and brightest noncommissioned officers to serve in our ranks as soon as they are qualified to do so. The Warrant Officer Corps is aggressively identifying technical expertise earlier in the potential candidate’s career to maximize the warrant officers’ impact on the operational force over a career.” 14 Minuteman Winter 2008 Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Army National Guard, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Thomas M. O’Sullivan. (Photo: Army National Guard) Q Will warrant officers move into roles that were traditionally held by commissioned officers? “Warrant officers have been commissioned upon reaching chief A warrant officer 2 since the early 1990s. From then on, in addition to our traditional role as technical experts, we have been called upon to serve as leaders. The role warrant officers have played as force multipliers has never been more crucial than it is today.” Q What was the biggest challenge of your career? “Accepting the tremendous responsibilities of serving as the A first command chief warrant officer of our great state of Massachusetts.” Q Who are your mentors? “As an infantry non-commissioned officer, I had many exceptional A warrant officer mentors, such as Chief Warrant Officer 4 Charles L. Doyle. As a senior warrant officer, I have to say that my greatest mentor is retired Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth A. O’Sullivan. On a daily basis, she reminds me of where I come from; a perspective no officer should ever forget.” Q What advice would you give to our young Soldiers who are beginning their careers? “Always follow the Army Values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless A Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage. Take advantage of all the education services provided to you. Become the best, become a warrant officer!”
From World War II to Global War on Terror By 1st Lt. John Quinn, 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment Vincent J. Saccone, who enlisted as a medic in 1939 and served as a member of the Yankee Division, 26th ID, during World War II, helped promote his grandson, Maj. Kenneth Wisniewski at Fort Dix, N.J., on Aug. 3. “It’s an honor to put this on you,” Saccone told his grandson as he affixed the rank of major onto his ACUs. “Good luck, God speed and come back home soon,” he said. Wisniewski is deployed to help the 1-181 IN, which is part of the 26th (Yankee) Brigade Combat Team, operate a Forward Operating Base on the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. Saccone retired as a chief warrant officer 3 after 42 years of service in the Massachusetts Army National Guard. “In 1993, the YD patch was lost when the division was retired,” Saccone said, adding he has remained extremely involved in the Yankee Division Association for many years. He even recruited his grandson into the group. “I never left, I was glad to see it come back,” Saccone said, adding he is extremely proud that 26th (Yankee) Brigade Combat Team resurrected the YD as its insignia in 2006 and that his grandson will wear the patch during a combat tour in Iraq. Wisniewski’s wife, Holly, and their 4-month-old son, Kenneth IV, drove Saccone, 85, and his wife, Donetta, 87, who served as a second lieutenant in the nurse corps during World War II, down to Fort Dix, N.J., from their homes in Lakeville. The statue in the background is called “The Ultimate Weapon” and is located in front of the headquarters building at Fort Dix. ✯ “It’s an honor to put this on you,” Vincent Saccone told his grandson as he affixed the rank of major onto his ACUs. Vincent J. Saccone places rank insignia on the uniform of his grandson, Maj. Kenneth Wisniewski, during a promotion ceremony at Fort Dix, N.J. (Photo: Sgt. Jerry Saslav, 65th Public Affairs Detachment, Massachusetts Army National Guard) The Force of Freedom 15
Page 1: PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAI
Page 5 and 6: Command Message Supporting and Taki
Page 7: his 33 years in the Army National G
Page 10 and 11: Staff Sgt. Jesse Vautour of Shrewsb
Page 12 and 13: 10 Minuteman Winter 2008
Page 14 and 15: 12 Minuteman Winter 2008 972nd Mili
Page 18 and 19: 16 Minuteman Winter 2008 1 JUL 07 t
Page 20 and 21: 18 Minuteman Winter 2008 BENNETT AN
Page 22 and 23: 20 Minuteman Winter 2008 FLECK, TOD
Page 24 and 25: Canada Presents Brigadier General w
Page 26 and 27: The Value of a Staff Ride - Saratog
Page 28 and 29: OCS Class 74 Takes Oath of Office M
Page 30: By Catherine Tonello, Public Affair

presorted standard us postage paid permit #88 enfield, ct

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?