BAGRAM, Afghanistan - In this day and age almost any successful organization, at least in some part, relies upon the technical advancement known as the personal computer. In this aspect the Army is no different; so it is essential that these systems are operating, and are doing so efficiently and effectively.
Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Adam's responsibility is just that. Adam, a native of Reading, Pennsylvania, is an information systems supervisor with the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and works with computers on a daily basis.
"My job consists of fixing computers mostly, but I also provide signal support (communication) to the rest of the unit and supervise other Soldiers in our section who do information technology work," said Adam.
Adam's interest in computers began at an early age, tinkering with a computer powered by an Intel 286 processor. The 286 computer, which was originally released in 1982, gave Adam his first taste of computer technology.
"The first computer I had was a 286 back in the early 90's," said Adam. "It was a computer my stepdad brought home from work and I would always get on and play. As years progressed and technology increased, I started seeing the invention of graphical displays which (sparked) my interest."
As time passed, Adam continued to self-teach; with his interest in computers ever increasing as he entered his high school.
"Most of my time (in high school) revolved around typing classes and basic programming with a visual aid," said Adam. "I also saw the networking capabilities between computers."
As an adult, Adam said the Army gave him the opportunity to work with what he enjoyed since the young age of 12.
"My parents couldn't afford college, so college just wasn't an option," said Adam. "So when I started looking at joining the Army and they showed me a computer job - that's what I wanted to do."
While Adam's first enlistment allowed him to work with computers as a telecommunications professional, he re-enlisted at a later time in his career to become an information systems Soldier and said he learned a lot through his training at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
"I learned a lot more about balancing the different types of parts that go into a computer; learned how to troubleshoot why something doesn't work and how to fix it," said Adam. "I also learned about routing and networking devices together and programming routers and switches."
As luck would have it, Adam also met his wife, Wendy, while he was traveling to Fort Gordon and has enjoyed her support throughout his career.
"Every re-enlistment has been with her approval," said Adam. Adam went on to say it was a blessing to have her support during his career in the Army.
Adam is no novice to deployments, and is on his 5th deployment, currently serving with the 3d ESC. His technical skills as an information systems supervisor keeps all the computer systems running smoothly, ensuring the 3d ESC is able to complete its sustainment mission in Afghanistan.
Adam's supervisor Maj. Robert Loyd, the deputy G6 with the 3d ESC, said Adam is a great asset to the G6 team.
"He is an invaluable asset to our team, he's a technical subject matter expert and is able to keep all the users up and operational," said Loyd. "He has earned the respect of and can interact with all levels of the command."
Loyd said Adam's greatest strength lies in his professionalism as a Soldier and leader.
"He has a diverse background, a lot of technical experience and he always takes care of Soldiers," said Loyd. "He balances all his responsibilities and tasks well and ensures the section runs smoothly."
For those Soldiers considering the information technology career field, Adam said continuing education is important, and Soldiers should have a passion for computers.
"The biggest bit of advice I can give is make sure it's something you want to do; if you're not good with computers or they make you mad on a frequent basis, than the job isn't for you," said Adam. "You need to have a passion for computers, you have to enjoy working on them all the time - you have to understand them."
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