1 00:00:04,965 --> 00:00:07,063 - I'm Sergeant Jack Curtis. 2 00:00:07,178 --> 00:00:10,370 I'm with Garrison Support Command Det 1 RNU. 3 00:00:10,370 --> 00:00:12,833 I'm a 12 November Heavy Construction Engineer. 4 00:00:15,450 --> 00:00:17,963 I'm also the team leader for Military Funeral Honors Team. 5 00:00:19,460 --> 00:00:21,830 Our mission is to work with the Senegalese Army 6 00:00:22,150 --> 00:00:27,150 to not only teach, but finish projects with them 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:29,593 on a known distance range, or KD range. 8 00:00:30,570 --> 00:00:32,720 We're doing Army engineer projects, 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,497 so we're working with their engineers 10 00:00:34,497 --> 00:00:36,513 with the State Partnership Program. 11 00:00:37,157 --> 00:00:39,110 We're learning from each other. 12 00:00:39,110 --> 00:00:40,660 We're learning how they do things 13 00:00:40,660 --> 00:00:41,710 with their equipment, 14 00:00:41,730 --> 00:00:42,710 and they're learning how we do stuff 15 00:00:42,710 --> 00:00:44,010 with equipment that we have, 16 00:00:44,010 --> 00:00:47,090 and just strengthen the bond we have 17 00:00:47,090 --> 00:00:48,420 between Senegal and Vermont through 18 00:00:48,420 --> 00:00:49,903 the State Partnership Program. 19 00:00:51,250 --> 00:00:53,020 Well, being a 12 November, 20 00:00:53,020 --> 00:00:56,583 I'm going to operate equipment. 21 00:00:56,836 --> 00:00:58,240 But as a Sergeant, 22 00:00:58,240 --> 00:00:59,580 it's also my job to make sure 23 00:00:59,580 --> 00:01:02,200 that the lower enlisted is getting stick time 24 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,380 on equipment so they can get up to speed 25 00:01:04,380 --> 00:01:06,309 and be as proficient as everybody else. 26 00:01:06,309 --> 00:01:08,818 To also work with the Senegalese engineers 27 00:01:08,818 --> 00:01:12,070 to complete the project, 28 00:01:12,070 --> 00:01:13,650 but make sure that we're all doing 29 00:01:13,650 --> 00:01:17,013 a fair share for each person, 30 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:18,350 but everybody's learning too. 31 00:01:18,350 --> 00:01:19,410 Everybody's learning and cooperating, 32 00:01:19,410 --> 00:01:21,010 but to get the project finished. 33 00:01:22,515 --> 00:01:25,210 There's a D8 High Track Bulldozer 34 00:01:25,210 --> 00:01:27,810 and it's over there right now. 35 00:01:27,810 --> 00:01:29,490 Actually, you kinda might see it behind me. 36 00:01:29,490 --> 00:01:30,840 That thing moves a lot of dirt, 37 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:32,540 so it's a lot of fun to play with. 38 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:34,533 But it's just fun too. 39 00:01:34,984 --> 00:01:36,640 The ground is different, 40 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:38,540 so working with this ground is 41 00:01:38,540 --> 00:01:39,840 just a bit of a challenge. 42 00:01:40,100 --> 00:01:41,390 It's like going to a new project 43 00:01:41,390 --> 00:01:42,730 somewhere else you haven't been before. 44 00:01:42,730 --> 00:01:44,030 So I'm learning stuff. 45 00:01:44,030 --> 00:01:46,063 Just how to work with this kind of terrain. 46 00:01:48,207 --> 00:01:50,050 And then the challenges that each individual 47 00:01:50,050 --> 00:01:51,510 piece of equipment gives us 48 00:01:51,550 --> 00:01:52,912 depending on its age or its quirks. 49 00:01:52,912 --> 00:01:55,163 It's fun for any operator to do that stuff. 50 00:01:56,770 --> 00:01:57,840 Overall, these guys 51 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,186 are very knowledgeable on their equipment, 52 00:02:00,186 --> 00:02:03,079 so it's just a matter of getting them 53 00:02:03,079 --> 00:02:05,292 to use their knowledge to accomplish 54 00:02:05,292 --> 00:02:07,720 the layout of the range that we're trying 55 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,453 to put together for them. 56 00:02:11,810 --> 00:02:13,130 It's been a great experience. 57 00:02:13,130 --> 00:02:14,560 We had a great meal with them yesterday, 58 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:15,393 they cooked it. 59 00:02:17,822 --> 00:02:19,989 We're trying to pick up some Wolof and some French. 60 00:02:19,989 --> 00:02:22,447 Unfortunately, I only speak Spanish, so (laughs), 61 00:02:23,364 --> 00:02:25,697 the French part really hasn't been 62 00:02:25,697 --> 00:02:27,410 working very well for me, 63 00:02:27,410 --> 00:02:28,910 but we're trying to get there. 64 00:02:30,908 --> 00:02:34,640 My last time overseas for the Army was in 06-07. 65 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:36,320 I was deployed with the 131st engineers 66 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:37,250 for route clearance. 67 00:02:37,250 --> 00:02:38,650 So the biggest difference is 68 00:02:38,943 --> 00:02:39,776 that was a war time situation, 69 00:02:39,776 --> 00:02:40,640 this is peace time. 70 00:02:41,490 --> 00:02:43,890 While I did have interaction with locals over there, 71 00:02:43,890 --> 00:02:46,200 it was just a lot more stress 72 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,660 and a whole different environment 73 00:02:48,660 --> 00:02:49,851 for what we were trying to do. 74 00:02:49,851 --> 00:02:52,821 Here, while we are working with the locals, 75 00:02:52,821 --> 00:02:54,350 it's peace time, 76 00:02:54,350 --> 00:02:57,710 so we can really take time 77 00:02:57,710 --> 00:03:00,209 and really interact with them 78 00:03:00,209 --> 00:03:03,730 and not have to worry about outside influences 79 00:03:03,730 --> 00:03:05,330 of what we're trying to do here. 80 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:11,060 I'd say it's just much easier. 81 00:03:11,060 --> 00:03:12,610 I'm not getting shot at, 82 00:03:12,610 --> 00:03:14,853 so it's easier. (laughs) 83 00:03:15,012 --> 00:03:16,712 - Always a plus. - Yeah, a bonus. 84 00:03:17,980 --> 00:03:18,930 I think it's great. 85 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:20,610 Part of what the Army Corps of Engineers does 86 00:03:20,610 --> 00:03:22,733 is, just in our country alone, 87 00:03:22,893 --> 00:03:27,893 disaster relief, building up rivers and floodplains, 88 00:03:28,830 --> 00:03:30,200 dikes along the Mississippi 89 00:03:31,910 --> 00:03:34,210 and like when Katrina hit New Orleans, 90 00:03:34,210 --> 00:03:35,043 part of it was they call 91 00:03:35,043 --> 00:03:37,727 and engineers came in and they tried to help fix that. 92 00:03:38,106 --> 00:03:38,939 Cleans things up. 93 00:03:38,939 --> 00:03:40,414 Disaster relief is what we do. 94 00:03:40,414 --> 00:03:42,500 But you're able to kick it overseas 95 00:03:42,500 --> 00:03:44,510 and apply what I've been taught 96 00:03:44,510 --> 00:03:45,670 as an Army Engineer 97 00:03:47,594 --> 00:03:49,496 and be able to actually do that 98 00:03:49,496 --> 00:03:51,548 and not have to do it in the war time setting, 99 00:03:51,548 --> 00:03:55,093 it's just part of the reason why I got in. 100 00:03:56,119 --> 00:03:57,686 Heavy construction, we move dirt. 101 00:03:57,686 --> 00:04:00,419 But to be able to do it like this, 102 00:04:00,419 --> 00:04:01,803 it's a lot of fun.