CAMP KONOTOP, Poland - Leaving the military to pursue a civilian career may sound exciting for some Soldiers reaching the end of their time in uniform, but after 20 plus years immersed in a culture of camouflage, two former Soldiers have found a way to share their combined 45 years of experience, and continue to serve.
Retired U.S. Army infantryman Steve Domingos is a 20-year veteran and the current lead for Training Support Center-Poland, part of an American team dedicated to maintaining and improving military training areas across Europe. He and Ernest R. Hudson, another retired U.S. Army infantryman with 25 years active military service, and the incoming lead for TSC-P, are more than just civilian contractors, they're former Joes helping set Soldiers up for success.
Drawing on this wealth of knowledge and experience, these vets are engaged daily with the Polish military, as well as the militaries of NATO allies, by helping cultivate a cohesive range management system.
As one exercise comes to an end, preparation for the next is always just around the corner for these U.S. Military veterans and their Polish allies who maintain this critical piece of the Operation Atlantic Resolve puzzle.
Operation Atlantic Resolve is an ongoing multinational partnership focused on joint training and security cooperation between NATO allies. Its mission is the continued peace and stability of Europe.
Great effort goes into making sure joint training exercises with tanks and armored fighting vehicles have the right conditions to be successful. Fighting positions must be dug, targets have to be built and the list goes on and on.
Domingos and Hudson work with the leadership of the Polish military at the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area by advising them on how to set up ranges in accordance with U.S. Military training standards.
Domingos said the level of cooperation between his team and the Polish has been nothing short of outstanding.
"The support we've received has been great," said Domingos. "Every time we've come to them with an issue, they've gone above and beyond in trying to meet ours as well as the expectations of the units training out here."
As the scenario changes, so does the structure of the range, with new fighting positions and targetry.
"These guys put in a lot of hours trying to build and replace damaged targets," said Domingos. "What we can't do by ourselves, a refurbishing shop here does for us, and they take great pride in the quality of their work."
Domingos said his experiences in the Army has allowed him to view things from the U.S. Army's perspective, allowing him and his team to quickly assess possible situations and implement changes.
"The mentality I've gotten from the Army is that everything is a mission, no matter how big or small," said Domingos. "My past experience allows me to handle anything that may seem hard. I've learned to improvise and adapt."
Echoing Domingos, Hudson has nothing but positive things to say about the support their Polish counterparts have provided.
"Since I've been here, the Polish have been very receptive to our suggestions," said Hudson. "The overall end picture is that we're accomplishing the mission with the soldiers."
Polish Army Warrant Officer Mariusz Makara, the range control officer for Tactical Control Buceirz Range, said this experience has been good for him and his team.
"I think this has been a good opportunity for me to expand my thinking, by seeing how our NATO allies conduct their training," said Makara.
Domingos said that from a tactical standpoint, Makara is learning how the U.S. Military conducts offensive and defensive maneuvers, and by gaining this knowledge he will be able to pass these lessons to future units for a better understanding of joint operations.
Both Domingos and Hudson agree that being able to continually serve the Soldiers as well as the U.S. is rewarding and allows them to give back for all the experiences they gained during their time in service.
"I've always believed that once a Soldier, I'm always going to be a Soldier for life," said Hudson. "It doesn't matter whether I'm in uniform or wearing civilian clothes, our team has one objective and that's to make sure the U.S. Soldiers are trained to standard."
Social Sharing