1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:06,510 --> 00:00:10,500 I am the deputy executive director J31 , 3 00:00:10,539 --> 00:00:12,595 which is Operation and sustainment . 4 00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:15,322 Our mission is important because it's a 5 00:00:15,322 --> 00:00:18,649 customer facing one . We are engaged 6 00:00:18,649 --> 00:00:21,170 and we support the customer with our 7 00:00:21,469 --> 00:00:24,729 warfighter support . I've also been a 8 00:00:24,729 --> 00:00:27,610 customer of DLA and I understand the 9 00:00:27,610 --> 00:00:29,721 impact that it has on the war fighter 10 00:00:29,770 --> 00:00:32,959 and the worldwide reach that it has . 11 00:00:33,450 --> 00:00:36,250 So I really , I believe in the mission . 12 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,687 I served in the army for 30 years as a 13 00:00:39,687 --> 00:00:42,909 logistician , 1989 to 2019 . 14 00:00:44,470 --> 00:00:46,909 In 2008 , I was a battalion commander 15 00:00:46,909 --> 00:00:48,853 for the 5 of First Brigade Support 16 00:00:48,853 --> 00:00:52,310 battalion . It was a battalion of 17 00:00:52,310 --> 00:00:54,619 1,163 soldiers . 18 00:00:56,209 --> 00:00:58,376 And we deployed as a part of the first 19 00:00:58,376 --> 00:01:00,459 brigade , first armored division to 20 00:01:00,459 --> 00:01:03,139 Kirkuk , Iraq . And like many 21 00:01:03,139 --> 00:01:05,389 deployments , you did a whole ramp up 22 00:01:05,389 --> 00:01:08,160 and you deploy and you get ready for 23 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,216 the mission with the outgoing unit . 24 00:01:10,940 --> 00:01:13,580 What was different for me was that in 25 00:01:13,580 --> 00:01:16,910 my role , I was tasked with providing 26 00:01:17,220 --> 00:01:19,980 escorts , non tactical escorts . 27 00:01:21,919 --> 00:01:23,919 Every once in a while I go out on a 28 00:01:23,919 --> 00:01:25,863 mission with the soldiers , and if 29 00:01:25,863 --> 00:01:28,030 they're facing danger , I want to face 30 00:01:28,030 --> 00:01:31,269 the same dangers with them . So I 31 00:01:31,269 --> 00:01:33,269 decided this was gonna be a mission 32 00:01:33,589 --> 00:01:35,756 that I was gonna also participate in . 33 00:01:35,910 --> 00:01:38,470 And in this mission , it was to take an 34 00:01:38,470 --> 00:01:41,860 ambassador to see the torture 35 00:01:41,860 --> 00:01:45,839 rehabilitation center in downtown Kua 36 00:01:45,839 --> 00:01:49,360 Rock . Its purpose was the 37 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,250 rehabilitation of Iraqi citizens who 38 00:01:52,250 --> 00:01:55,809 were tortured by the Saddam Hussein 39 00:01:55,809 --> 00:01:58,839 regime . So we took all the steps in 40 00:01:58,839 --> 00:02:01,309 terms of the pre briefs and the whole 41 00:02:01,309 --> 00:02:03,365 mission set of getting ready for the 42 00:02:03,365 --> 00:02:05,642 support . Um , we went to the compound , 43 00:02:05,642 --> 00:02:07,440 picked up the ambassador , and 44 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,399 uneventful trip into the city , and we 45 00:02:10,399 --> 00:02:12,520 arrived at the , uh , torture 46 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,279 rehabilitation center . Um , we 47 00:02:15,279 --> 00:02:17,589 dismounted , I escorted the ambassador 48 00:02:17,589 --> 00:02:20,449 inside the building , um , after she 49 00:02:20,449 --> 00:02:23,389 was inside of the building . Yeah , she 50 00:02:23,389 --> 00:02:25,309 invited me to participate in the 51 00:02:25,309 --> 00:02:27,420 meeting , but I said I just wanted to 52 00:02:27,420 --> 00:02:29,476 go back out and check on my soldiers 53 00:02:29,476 --> 00:02:31,990 because it was an extremely hot day 54 00:02:31,990 --> 00:02:33,949 that day . I just remember it just 55 00:02:33,949 --> 00:02:36,809 being so hot . Most days were hot , to 56 00:02:36,809 --> 00:02:38,642 tell you the truth , but this is 57 00:02:38,642 --> 00:02:40,753 something I remember it was hot , and 58 00:02:40,753 --> 00:02:42,809 you know sometimes when it's hot and 59 00:02:42,809 --> 00:02:44,698 they tend to cut corners . I just 60 00:02:44,698 --> 00:02:46,865 wanted to check , make sure everything 61 00:02:46,865 --> 00:02:50,779 was going well . So there was an 8 to 62 00:02:50,779 --> 00:02:53,580 10 ft wall that encircled the 63 00:02:53,580 --> 00:02:56,940 rehabilitation center . So I simply , I 64 00:02:56,940 --> 00:02:59,630 was going out because my soldiers were 65 00:02:59,630 --> 00:03:01,574 arrayed on the outside of the wall 66 00:03:02,300 --> 00:03:04,899 covering down on the inner cordon of 67 00:03:04,899 --> 00:03:05,770 the center . 68 00:03:08,270 --> 00:03:11,500 So I was walking toward the opening , 69 00:03:12,190 --> 00:03:15,279 um , to go out into the street . And I 70 00:03:15,279 --> 00:03:19,259 can remember stepping out . And I can 71 00:03:19,259 --> 00:03:22,490 remember . Looking to the right . 72 00:03:23,669 --> 00:03:25,613 With the thought of my mind , look 73 00:03:25,613 --> 00:03:29,110 right , to look left , oddly , but . 74 00:03:30,029 --> 00:03:33,279 After I looked right , I felt like an 75 00:03:33,279 --> 00:03:35,335 impact . It just felt like a force . 76 00:03:36,740 --> 00:03:39,839 It's just this wave . It felt like a , 77 00:03:39,850 --> 00:03:42,820 if a bat were to hit you and impact . 78 00:03:44,259 --> 00:03:47,229 In the concussion . Would just make 79 00:03:47,229 --> 00:03:49,830 your body react , but the only thing I 80 00:03:49,830 --> 00:03:51,997 remember is just my head snapping back 81 00:03:51,997 --> 00:03:55,589 and looking up . And I can remember 82 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,479 uh . Material 83 00:03:58,479 --> 00:04:02,240 fibers from my . Auto 84 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,309 tactical vests , it's kind of just 85 00:04:04,309 --> 00:04:07,419 floating in the air . And um 86 00:04:08,589 --> 00:04:10,645 I remember saying to myself , that's 87 00:04:10,645 --> 00:04:14,229 odd . But soon after that , things 88 00:04:14,229 --> 00:04:17,739 really sped up and I could hear things , 89 00:04:17,910 --> 00:04:19,670 I could hear glass breaking . 90 00:04:21,859 --> 00:04:25,029 But I couldn't see . The glass break . 91 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,019 And then my an NCO , 92 00:04:31,100 --> 00:04:34,170 my personal security detachment , Staff 93 00:04:34,170 --> 00:04:36,519 Sergeant Lugo , um , Staff Sergeant 94 00:04:36,519 --> 00:04:40,100 Lugo pushed me back through the 95 00:04:40,100 --> 00:04:44,059 opening in the wall and you 96 00:04:44,059 --> 00:04:46,059 know he's yelling , he's saying you 97 00:04:46,059 --> 00:04:49,690 were hit and . Well , I'm , 98 00:04:50,100 --> 00:04:52,660 I don't know what's going on . I didn't 99 00:04:52,660 --> 00:04:56,480 lose consciousness . I remember feeling 100 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,329 the impact . I remember looking up 101 00:04:59,329 --> 00:05:02,529 seeing the particles floating , but 102 00:05:02,529 --> 00:05:04,362 everything else is just a rush . 103 00:05:08,510 --> 00:05:11,179 I was taken to the , uh , the Field 104 00:05:11,179 --> 00:05:14,089 Medical Hospital . And where I was 105 00:05:14,089 --> 00:05:18,070 admitted . But I will tell you . 106 00:05:19,410 --> 00:05:21,688 Of all the things from that experience , 107 00:05:22,209 --> 00:05:25,290 um , because it's not till after it's 108 00:05:25,290 --> 00:05:28,089 over , you start thinking about what 109 00:05:28,089 --> 00:05:30,256 are the things that led up to it , you 110 00:05:30,256 --> 00:05:33,609 know , the what else or and it just 111 00:05:33,609 --> 00:05:36,040 kind of runs through your head . And 112 00:05:36,769 --> 00:05:38,609 one of the what else was when we 113 00:05:38,609 --> 00:05:42,170 deployed , we deployed with the sappy 114 00:05:42,170 --> 00:05:45,149 plate , but they were ceramic . And 115 00:05:45,149 --> 00:05:47,190 while we were already deployed in 116 00:05:47,190 --> 00:05:49,519 country with those sappy plates , which 117 00:05:49,519 --> 00:05:51,829 was protection , but it was deemed that 118 00:05:51,829 --> 00:05:54,959 it wouldn't withstand the blow of a 119 00:05:54,959 --> 00:05:58,329 7.62 round . So then the 120 00:05:58,329 --> 00:06:01,760 Isay . was determined is what the 121 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,871 soldiers on the battlefield should be 122 00:06:03,871 --> 00:06:05,704 wearing and then that became the 123 00:06:05,704 --> 00:06:09,359 process of how does , you know , how do 124 00:06:09,359 --> 00:06:11,559 we get these sapi to the soldiers that 125 00:06:11,559 --> 00:06:13,781 are already deployed with these ceramic 126 00:06:13,781 --> 00:06:16,859 plates and DLA 127 00:06:17,570 --> 00:06:20,929 became the arm that provided that 128 00:06:20,929 --> 00:06:23,329 support . And I will tell you at the 129 00:06:23,329 --> 00:06:25,850 time as a young lieutenant colonel , I 130 00:06:25,850 --> 00:06:29,609 had heard of DLA . I had a sense of 131 00:06:29,609 --> 00:06:31,730 what the mission was just from a 132 00:06:31,730 --> 00:06:34,529 strategic level organization , really 133 00:06:34,529 --> 00:06:36,890 livinging between industrial base and 134 00:06:36,890 --> 00:06:39,489 combatant commands , but never have 135 00:06:39,489 --> 00:06:42,890 served in it or dealt directly . But 136 00:06:42,890 --> 00:06:46,600 there was a DLA rep on 137 00:06:47,170 --> 00:06:50,329 the Fort Oer base I was on , who was 138 00:06:50,329 --> 00:06:52,989 providing updates , you know , so we 139 00:06:52,989 --> 00:06:54,989 received updates , the sappy plates 140 00:06:54,989 --> 00:06:57,100 arrived , the sappy plates are here , 141 00:06:57,100 --> 00:06:59,433 ready to be drawn , and then , you know , 142 00:06:59,529 --> 00:07:02,809 make an appointment to draw them . And 143 00:07:04,130 --> 00:07:06,570 One week after my organization drew 144 00:07:06,570 --> 00:07:09,170 those sappy plates is when I was shot . 145 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,980 To the what if is . DLA 146 00:07:14,660 --> 00:07:17,660 does it do its magic . And get those 147 00:07:17,660 --> 00:07:20,609 sappy plates because it wasn't months 148 00:07:21,459 --> 00:07:24,380 from when I found out , you know , the 149 00:07:24,380 --> 00:07:27,220 ceramic plates were a problem that we 150 00:07:27,220 --> 00:07:30,920 received thee sappies . And it was 151 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,109 because Of the ability of 152 00:07:34,589 --> 00:07:36,922 TLA to get on the battlefield that fast . 153 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,570 So From that point , I don't know 154 00:07:41,570 --> 00:07:44,730 if indebted is the word , but I can 155 00:07:44,730 --> 00:07:48,239 definitely say I'm appreciative of the 156 00:07:48,239 --> 00:07:52,119 mission that DLA performs every day . 157 00:07:53,690 --> 00:07:56,609 But I would say that everyone in DLA is 158 00:07:56,609 --> 00:07:58,831 closer to making a difference than they 159 00:07:58,831 --> 00:08:01,049 may think . Because you never know . 160 00:08:01,690 --> 00:08:03,857 It's just that sometimes you don't see 161 00:08:03,890 --> 00:08:06,209 the impact of your efforts . You just 162 00:08:06,209 --> 00:08:08,209 have to know that they're making an 163 00:08:08,209 --> 00:08:10,760 impact somewhere . And I'm one of the 164 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,239 people in terms of troop support . It 165 00:08:14,239 --> 00:08:15,795 made an impact on my life . 166 00:08:18,049 --> 00:08:21,049 We realized later that there was a 167 00:08:21,049 --> 00:08:24,910 sniper in the traffic circle . That 168 00:08:24,910 --> 00:08:28,739 was facing the rehabilitation center 169 00:08:29,109 --> 00:08:31,429 and apparently the sniper was oddly 170 00:08:31,429 --> 00:08:33,373 enough in the trunk of a vehicle . 171 00:08:33,710 --> 00:08:35,877 Shooting from the trunk of a vehicle . 172 00:08:36,979 --> 00:08:39,090 You know , and talking to the doctors 173 00:08:39,090 --> 00:08:42,950 and , and everyone . It was a matter 174 00:08:42,950 --> 00:08:46,700 of inches . I had a , uh , a minor 175 00:08:46,700 --> 00:08:49,429 fracture on the rib and blunt force 176 00:08:49,429 --> 00:08:52,950 trauma . To , uh , my back . 177 00:08:55,270 --> 00:08:57,809 I did it on a purple Hot , um , for 178 00:08:57,809 --> 00:09:01,059 that experience . I'm so humbled by it . 179 00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:04,659 I don't make too much of it . It's just 180 00:09:04,659 --> 00:09:06,826 one of those personal things that just 181 00:09:06,826 --> 00:09:09,390 kind of carry with me . From that point 182 00:09:09,390 --> 00:09:12,270 on , I stopped putting things off . Um . 183 00:09:13,020 --> 00:09:15,760 I'm more so seize the moment and quiet 184 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,169 kind of gives me an opportunity , you 185 00:09:18,169 --> 00:09:20,336 know , to ponder those things that are 186 00:09:20,336 --> 00:09:22,450 most important to me , um , because 187 00:09:22,450 --> 00:09:24,599 sometimes life gets busy . Yeah , 188 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,479 sometimes you just need uh time to 189 00:09:27,479 --> 00:09:31,299 yourself . And it um It just 190 00:09:31,299 --> 00:09:32,010 helps me out .