'Maintain' leader pays education forward

By Sgt. Sarah BaileySeptember 21, 2013

'Maintain' leader pays education forward
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Arid Garvin, left, a motor transport operator with Company A, 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, takes an exam during an advanced leadership course, Sept. 10, 2013, on Forward Oper... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
'Maintain' leader pays education forward
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Capt. Jules Patterson, left, a military intelligence officer with Company A, 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and a native of Tampa, Fla., teaches Soldiers of Transportation Platoon, ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Military and civilian education is important for today's U.S. Army, but with so many options available, many Soldiers don't know where to start. Sometimes, all they need is a push from a leader to get started.

U.S. Army Capt. Jules Patterson, a military intelligence officer with 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, began his military career as an enlisted Soldier and was guided by his leadership to start working toward his degree. Eight years ago he graduated Officer Candidate School and was commissioned.

Now Patterson, a Tampa Bay, Fla., native is doing what he can to help Soldiers like him by teaching leadership and management courses to help them earn their degrees.

"My leadership has helped me through education from every echelon," Patterson said. "When I was a private my staff sergeant encouraged me to work towards my associate (degree), when I was a sergeant first class my officers encouraged me to finish my BA (bachelor's degree)."

"The largest leap came from the Director of Intelligence, (U.S. Army) Maj. Gen. John Custer, who aided in pushing forward my OCS packet," he added.

Patterson became an instructor with Central Texas College to help Soldiers from the 703rd BSB. His passion to teach and help Soldiers drove him to apply. Earning his certification was not an easy task.

To be accepted as an instructor, one must have a master's degree and pass tests on equal opportunity, sexual harassment, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Once certified, Patterson was able to choose from a number of courses that he was qualified to teach.

"There are about one dozen courses that I can teach, but I chose the ones that best fit junior Soldiers who were taking courses for the first time," Patterson said.

He is currently teaching advanced leadership twice a week. He created a flexible course schedule that allows the Soldiers to attend class before and after their shifts as well as a flexible plan to accommodate the busy schedule of the Soldiers with Transportation Platoon, Co. A.

U.S. Army Spc. Arid Garvin, a motor transport operator with Co. A, is one of 23 students taking the course.

Garvin, a native of Savannah, Ga., was skeptical about completing the course in between missions at first. Patterson stuck to his word and worked a schedule around their missions to make sure they were able to successfully complete the course. "I took the course to better myself and my career; to get ahead," Garvin said.

The next class Patterson plans to teach, management problems, will start in October and already has 21 students enrolled.

Patterson gives Soldiers the opportunity to advance their civilian education and provide them the same opportunities he was afforded as a Soldier.

Garvin will be one of the students attending the next class despite his busy schedule. "At the end of the day, you just have to ask yourself, how bad do you want it?" he said.

Related Links:

4th IBCT, 3rd ID on DVIDS

4th IBCT, 3rd ID on Facebook

3rd Infantry Division on Facebook

RC-East, Afghanistan on Facebook