HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga. - Ernie Tafoya, Hunter's new deputy garrison commander, says the term "pay it forward" may be a cliché, but it describes his motivation to help others as he was helped growing up in a children's home in a small town of Portales, New Mexico. After multiple foster homes, he arrived there at age nine and received tough love and valuable life skills from nuns, counselors and loving house parents. Those caregivers instilled in him a strong work ethic and old-fashioned morals through activities such as an early morning routine of milking cows, plowing fields, attending church three times a week and routine discipline whenever he needed it.
"I had a blessed life," he said, about his years at the home until he left for college on an ROTC scholarship. "I played football, went to prom, had my own car and did everything else kids do who lived with their parents. My house parents were always there for me."
Almost 30 years later, that gratitude still fuels Tafoya's determination to do his best and help others who he's encountered in his career, which recently came to include garrison employees at Hunter Army Airfield.
"The Hunter team is a talented and special group," he said about the employees he has worked with since his arrival in mid August. "They don't realize how good they are." He said he remembers as a young boy the encouragement he felt when a nun told him how valuable and how good he was; he intends to let his staff know that and to encourage them in the job they do to support the Army's mission.
"He's approachable and he's fair," said Steve Williams, Hunter Operations chief. "If you do a job well, he's quick to give praise."
After 20 years of active-duty service, 10 as a Department of the Army Civilian, and the study of sociology and psychology, Tafoya is convinced that well-deserved praise is essential to develop a diverse but cohesive work force. He also believes that people from all walks of life bring something valuable to the table.
"If everyone is thinking like the boss then nobody's thinking," he said. "Sometimes you can find talent in the most overlooked places. New people in an organization infuse new thoughts and ideas. All people have different strengths and skills and if I care about them as leaders, I'll do my best to put them in the right job, correctly trained, and properly motivated."
Tafoya brings years of IMCOM and 'people' experience to Hunter. He served previously at Fort McPherson as a Region Installation Support Team member and IMCOM and with FORSCOM as an IMCOM liaison officer. He was also selected to go on a special project to San Antonio to establish initial facilities, reception and processing for IMCOM headquarters personnel, moving from Arlington, Va. to San Antonio, Texas. He also served as the first executive officer to the executive director of IMCOM when the organization was established.
After working as deputy garrison commander in Heidelberg, Germany from 2004-2006, Tafoya was selected to attend the Army War College, knowing that he wanted to serve again as a deputy garrison commander. He said he's excited to get that opportunity once more and to work at Hunter is just icing on the cake. The position allows him to continue to work closely with Soldiers, Civilians, retirees and their Families, something that has always warmed his heart and makes him feel at home.
But Tafoya wasn't always at home with the military and had no interest in joining until a class scheduler in college told him about the Army's Adventure Program and the scuba diving class it offered.
"I fell in love with the Army," he said, after entering the Army program. "I knew I was home. I found my Family and I never looked back."
Tafoya went onto college, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Eastern New Mexico University on his new ROTC scholarship. He graduated early with his degree and with time remaining on his scholarship, left for an additional year of study and got 'really serious,' completing a two-year Master of Arts degree program in only one year.
Tafoya has earned two M.A. degrees; the first in personnel service from Eastern New Mexico University in New Mexico, and the second in strategic studies from the U.S. War College in Pennsylvania.
He said he's proud of his career accomplishments but most importantly, the relationships he has with his two daughters, 16-year-old Colleen and 13-year-old Ellen, who are the loves of his life.
"They remind me of what is always right in life," he said, "and that every day is a great day when you wake up on the right side of the dirt. Like I say often, I'm blessed."
Tafoya said there's an irony to his life and the lives of his life-long friends from the children's home who grew up without parents.
"We all did well," he said. "None of us went to prison, none of us did drugs, we all went on be successful in our lives, and to have successful marriages with children and grandchildren. I couldn't ask for anything more."
Social Sharing