Online Chat with Steve Harmon, First Sergeant Kansas Army National Guard
June 30, 2011
Online Chat with Steve Harmon, First Sergeant Kansas Army National Guard
Moderator: It's time to start today's online chat. Our guest is First Sergeant Steve Harmon, Kansas Army National Guard. Steve is here to talk about his experience with the military and answer your questions. We have a long list to get to so we will get things rolling.
moderator: What is your role in the guard?
Steve Harmon: Thanks for inviting me to "speak" today. I'll try and be brief and to the point which can be difficult for a First Sergeant. I am the Headquarters, Charlie and Delta Company first sergeant for the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion (Armor/Infantry) 137th Regiment. Kansas Army National Guard. My job as the senior NCO in the unit is to ensure the safety, accountability of our personnel, equipment and paperwork while supervising & participating in soldier training and mission execution during peace or war-time. For the state mission I focus on taking care of and putting our assigned resources in the right place at the right time for emergencies and disasters.
moderator: How long have you been in the service? Have you been in the guard the whole time?
Steve Harmon: I am currently in my 24th year of service with the US Military. I spent my first couple of years on active duty for the Army. When I completed my tour I joined the Kansas Army National Guard in Emporia in 1990, and attended Emporia State University. I have spent my whole career in the field of Army and Infantry and most of my Guard time serving in the local Emporia National Guard Unit.
moderator: Can you tell us about your tour in Kosovo and what your mission was?
Steve Harmon: I have been deployed overseas for two very different missions. In 2004 our unit here in Emporia deployed to Kosovo for a peace enforcement mission. Our role was to enforce the Dayton Peace Accords. We used a community policing and mentoring plan. My role was to lead the quick reaction force and to provide training and leadership for crowd and riot control for our Task Force. This mission was my first chance to work and do missions with soldiers and marines from NATO countries as well as witness the challenges of rebuilding a country dominated by ethnic strife and criminal syndicates. Kosovo is a beautiful country that is stable but still struggles and needs outside support and advising to stay intact.
moderator: What about your deployment to Afghanistan, what was that experience like?
Steve Harmon: Afghanistan was a true combat mission. I deployed as part of a 16 person Kansas Army National guard team out of Fort Riley with the 1st Infantry Division as “embedded expeditionary trainers” or what we commonly call combat advisors. Our whole team was built of senior non-commissioned and senior commissioned officers. We deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and when we arrived joined up as a combat advisor team with the 4th Brigade combat team under the 82nd Airborne. Half our team split off to work with the Afghan police force and my half joined a NATO coalition mentor team to advise and live with the Afghan Army’s 205th “Hero” corps in Helmund, Khandahar, Zabul and Uruzgan Provinces. My job was to serve as the mentor advisor to the 205th Corps Afghan Command Sergeant Major and their Finance Colonel. I spent half my tour helping the Afghan Army build their NCO corp in the south and the other half supporting combat missions under the lead of the Afghan combat brigades and civil affairs team. Unlike Kosovo, Afghanistan is a nation of very extreme poverty and illiteracy. Less than 1% of the population can read or do math at a 1st grade level in their own language. It is environmentally and physically a tough place to be. Wherever we (US and NATO forces) were partnered with the Afghan Army, Police or government their was great success.
moderator: When you were deployed what were some of the things you missed most, and what did you like seeing in care packages?
Steve Harmon: Obviously I missed my family the most. My first deployment my youngest was only 15 months old and my oldest was 3. This was a true burden on my wife and it is important to remember just how tough these deployments are on families and co-workers. I often tell groups and organizations when I speak that the toughest job falls to the families, extended families, and employers who must carry on without the spouse, parent, or employee. As for Care packages. Thank you on behalf of all service members. Emporia with the annual efforts of local organizations, such as service clubs, Emporia Main Street members and especially the Tebbetts family has been a true supporter of our troops through care packages. We received many many care packages overseas and just receiving items of any kind from home were true morale boosters. I personally liked getting the Gazette newspapers and my favorite magazines as well as the hard to find items (food and snack items). The most interesting thing our team received was a trumpet which we were able to use with an Afghan soldier who had musical ability.
moderator: What is the role of the Kansas Army National Guard? How is it different from the U.S. Army?
Steve Harmon: Twenty five years ago we were a strategic reserve with an important state and national emergency support mission. In the last ten years we have dramatically changed and deployed on a regular basis as a full operational partner with the active Army component. On the state level we have dramatically improved our ability, skills and equipment to serve our role as part of homeland defense and emergency management. We are mobilizing soldiers year round not only for overseas duty but also to help with flooding, tornadoes, ice storms and even out-of state disasters periodically such as hurricanes, wildfires or border support. I really appreciate the dual roles and mission of the National Guard.
moderator: What advice do you have for anyone that is looking to enlist in the guard?
Steve Harmon: It is a great career. We have the best of both worlds – a chance to support your community and your country while living and working a civilian career. This can lead to a very busy schedule but it is worth it. Since joining the National Guard I have had the typical career, two deployments and serving our community through the 1990 tornado, the 1993 flood, 2001 security missions, and the 2007 ice storms in western Kansas. I would also advise anyone joining to work on their physical fitness and be prepared to lead and take charge no matter what your age or experience. We trust young people with millions of dollars in equipment, and the lives of their fellow soldiers overseas. At a local level take the time to visit the area units and discover what they do and see what is a good match.
moderator: Do you feel any special significance being from Emporia, the home of Veteran's Day?
Steve Harmon: Absolutely. I work and supervise detachments across the state and No One can beat Emporia for support of Veterans and their families. I am proud to be from the Founding City of Veterans Day and we make sure our unit here in town supports the All Veterans Week Activities.
moderator: What does Independence Day mean to you?
Steve Harmon: From a veteran’s perspective it has special significance. Any veteran of an overseas conflict will tell you the same. You cannot imagine just how lucky we are in our country. Our system may be slow, contentious, and sometimes wasteful but we have something most of the world does not. A chance to voice our opinions, protest peacefully, build our own livelihood, build a family and careers, get an education, vote without being arrested, beaten or killed for our beliefs. In Afghanistan we had to escort civilians and Afghan soldiers under armed guard to vote. Girls were attacked with chemicals or maimed for going to school and crime was rampant. In Kosovo you would be attacked with Rockets and grenades based on your birthplace or where you lived. We may have issues but we have a voice and we don’t need to use weapons to make change in our country. That to me is just a part of the importance of Independence Day.
moderator: Any last thoughts you want to share with our readers?
Steve Harmon: Thanks for the opportunity to serve Emporia and our Country. I love living, working and being from this community. I especially want to thank my wife and three kids as well as extended family who suffer and persevere through every deployment with me, I definitely wish to thank Flint Hills Tech and the area employers who make do when military personnel leave the workforce to serve overseas. Thank you as well for the chance to chat today and please remember our soldiers, airman, sailors, and marines as well as their families currently serving in Afghanistan, Africa, and Iraq from our region and Kansas. There are many overseas as we speak from our community and State.
Moderator: On behalf of the Emporia Gazette and its readers I would like to thank Steve for taking time to chat with us today, and for his continued service to our Community, State and Nation. We hope that everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July and we will be back with more online chats next week.