Ninety-two Louisville District civilians have volunteered to serve the nation abroad since the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Thirty are deployed now.
On May 18, the district recognized their service at a ceremony inside the Romano Mazzoli Federal Building. Louisville District Commander Col. Keith Landry presented the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Medal to more than 30 district employees. The GWOT medal was established to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of the Department of Defense’s civilian workforce which directly supports members of the Armed Forces engaged in operations to combat terrorism.
"Great organizations take the time to honor service and recognize significant accomplishments," Landry said. "We can only take volunteers. Because you are distinguishing yourself by volunteering, the secretary of defense has come up with a way to honor your services."
Two GWOT recipients—Office of Counsel Chief Dale Holmes and Planning, Programs and Management Deputy Chief Joanne Milo opened the ceremony by sharing their experiences.
"You really get a better appreciation for what the men and women in uniform do," said Holmes.
Working in a combat environment, engineering projects become an urgent matter. For instance, alternate roads were needed to reduce exposure to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), the signature weapon used by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Delay leads to injury and death.
"You get to see the direct consequences of getting work done," he said.
Milo, who served in Iraq for 37 months over two separate deployments, said she felt drawn to serving overseas since her mother and father served in World War II and her brother served in Vietnam.
She fondly recalled the resilience of the Iraqi people who endured for so long under Saddam Hussein. She also talked about sharing her knowledge about competitive bidding and quality control with Iraqis, though coaching site safety was a challenge sometimes.
"At first, they’d take the safety glasses we’d given them into town to sell them," Milo said. "And it was difficult to get them to wear shoes on the construction site." However, on her second deployment there was a tremendous improvement, and safety gear had become part of their culture.
Despite the long hours, harsh terrain and being away from family, there are those who would go back.
"You feel there is a lot of unfinished business you didn’t get done the first time," Holmes said of his first deployment. "Then you say to yourself, ‘I know what I’m doing now.’ You feel like you can get more done the second time."