CRANE ARMY AMMUNITION ACTIVITY, Ind. (Aug. 6, 2009) -- There is a small fraternity of Vietnam veterans and an even smaller number still serving in the military today. One of them, however, was here during the Golden Cargo exercise to participate in training, provide leadership, and more importantly, to bestow upon the Soldiers his many years of military experience. Army Reserve Sgt. Thomas M. Owen, a native of Doraville, Ga., and ammo sergeant with 802nd Ordnance Company, Gainesville, Ga., served one tour in Vietnam and is anxious to deploy to the Middle East. At the age of seventeen, forty years ago this month, Owen entered military service with the United States Army. Now, while the majority of the 802nd Soldiers are currently participating in mobilization training in another state, the "stay-behind" troops participate in Golden Cargo 2009. The exercise is a three-week annual training designed to provide transportation and ordnance units with real world training delivering ammunition to the war fighters. Owen, along with the other 802nd Soldiers, holds his breath as anyone one of his them could be called to deploy should any of the deploying Soldiers fail to validate or complete mobilization training. From huffing it as infantryman, working as an administrative clerk, to his current duties as an ammo sergeant, Owen finds himself constantly looking for ways to help his fellow servicemembers become better people and Soldiers. Golden Cargo provided him the opportunity to do just that. "He\'s a great guy ... always willing to bend over backwards and is there if you ever need him," said Pvt. Justin Evans, a mechanic of the 802nd. "Sgt. Owen has a way of smoothing things over and making you feel better." Owen along with Staff Sgt. Robert Smiley, non-commissioned officer in charge of the 802nd, are here for Golden Cargo without any officers. Together, both Owen and Smiley are serving as the leadership and have kept the morale of the servicemembers high by ensuring that they all have opportunities to practice their respective military occupational specialties. "We came here without any trucks due to the nature of the exercise, and therefore our junior troops were getting snagged for extra duties, but after I coordinated with the 812th TC Battalion, our troops have gotten the chance to get the training they came here for," said Smiley. We're getting to go over and work at a Navy motor pool so I can do my job," said Evans. Even though the Navy facility is not part of the Golden Cargo exercise, the CAAA civilians and Navy personnel here have gone out of their way to help the Army Reservists. From the many challenges they faced planning their annual training to safely arriving here, Owen and Smiley continually looked for ways to reward their Soldiers. One way of doing that is to award medals to deserving Soldiers, such as Pfc. Venita Martin, an ammo specialist Smiley plans to put in for an Army Commendation medal. "She's come here and gained the most knowledge out of all of our 89 Bravos, and she's become a good forklift operator," said Smiley. "This group of Soldiers couldn't have found better leadership than from the non-commissioned officers who have taken charge of them," said Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Robinson, 812th command sergeant major. "Sgt. Owen and Staff Sgt. Smiley represent what's best when we think about the Year of the NCO." "As far as Sgt. Owen, it's really great to see someone who has given so much already and so willing to give even more this late in his life," said Robinson. Owen and Smiley worked closely with the troops and with the CAAA civilians here. "The CAAA civilian, Josh - who's a bow hunter - and I spot deer together going from one High Explosive Magazine to the next," said Owen. "This has been a very rewarding experience training here ... all of the civilians I have worked with have been very nice and polite." "I think this post is a good thing ... I hope it's never destroyed or changed ... they take very good care of the forests and the wildlife and historical places here ... this is like a nature preserve, history being left untouched." Fellow Soldiers agree that anyone who takes the time to get to know these NCOs quickly realizes that they both care about looking out for Soldiers, helping them, and giving them moral and spiritual guidance.
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