A Day of Service: Lasts Forever

By Jim Steddum, Enterprise, Alabama

"May the 4th be with you" took on a new meaning this year at Fort Novosel, Alabama. John Wiley Brock VFW Post 6683 of Enterprise, Alabama, and their adopted unit, the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Career College (WOCC), joined forces to demonstrate community service, esprit de corps, and stewardship. About twenty members of Post 6683 and District 7 came together to support the area maintenance and beautification of the main campus of the WOCC. The members then turned to serve the necessary hydration to keep the over 150 members of the staff, faculty, and students working in the hot, humid Alabama sun! Using a generous Veteran and Military Support grant from the VFW foundation, over 150 plates of food and thirty-five gallons of bottled water and Gatorade were served to the hardest working group of retired, active, reserve, guard, and future warrant officers ever photographed.

District 7 Commander Tommy Stephens, a Post 4388 of Red Level member, participated in the district recruiting event because the faculty and staff of Fort Novosel span several counties in Alabama. Many Posts support the greater Fort Novosel community, like Wiregrass Post 3073 of Dothan, Francis J. Ballard Post 6020 of Daleville, the Eufaula Memorial Post 5850, and, of course, John Wiley Brock Post 6683 of Enterprise. This National Day of Service inspired seven veterans and servicemembers to join the VFW and others to renew or transfer their memberships.

Post 6683 Commander Robert Schmidbauer coordinated the event with Colonel Kevin E. McHugh, Commandant. Colonel McHugh has focused on modernizing the warrant officer education continuum for the past two years. Today, Colonel McHugh says, "…the National Day of Service is about building bonds, partnerships, and pride in our prestigious academic institution for the Warrant Officer Cohort. Today, we have about 125-150 members of the staff, faculty, TAC Officers, students from three courses, Army Civilian Professionals, family members, and our VFW partners. We have all come together to put blood, sweat, and tears into this place we call the Warrant Officer Career College. I joined 27 years ago to serve something bigger than myself; [today] is a great day!"

Commander Schmidbauer, a retired warrant officer, was spotted pressure washing and chatting with students aged 18 to 50. In his closing message to the College, he emphasized that authentic and relevant history is taught in the halls of the VFW and similar organizations. Activities like the National Day of Service demonstrate how the instilled service mindset does not disappear when we remove the uniform.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeremy Norman, Department Head, Military History Department, served as the officer-in-charge of the activities for the WOCC. He said that the partnerships with the community are invaluable to the Army because those serving and those #StillServing are members of the same greater community. He said the veterans who came before us "sacrificed so much, and it is my generation's time and responsibility to give back." Many others echoed the same concept of giving back. Warrant Officer Candidate Rodreka Fuller, an aspiring Cyber Warrant Officer, stated that serving her community is one of her purposes in life and that serving others is a special feeling. Huntsville, Alabama native Isaac Oliver is an aspiring MEDEVAC aviator. He has served as a nurse and wants to be able to serve others in an advanced role. He says that the National Day of Service was an excellent opportunity for him to give back to the College that has taught him what it means to be a warrant officer. Aspiring Military Intelligence Warrant Officer Steven Waslo stated that the National Day of Service is important because it is about seeing that we are all working together. After all, we are a part of the same profession.

The Candidates receive excellent mentorship, counseling, and coaching from Training, Advising, and Counseling (TAC) Officers. Once feared by candidates, modern TAC Officers take a much more complex role in modernized education. While they still enforce rigorous standards, TAC Officers are more than trainers. They take ownership of the acculturation of new warrant officers and their significant responsibilities as technical experts. By trade, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lequisha Stephens is an ammunition technician. However, she currently serves as the Operations Officer for the 1st Warrant Officer Company, USAWOCC. She stated that "giving back" is an excellent opportunity to work together and learn from one another.

Similarly, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jeffrey Henry, Candidate Course Director, says, "The National Day of Service is a day to give back, but it also sets an example for the community. We are all leaders, and we should all want to set the example for those we are bringing up to serve behind us. Additionally, the veterans that are out here—that is what it is really all about. Service does not leave us."

Army Civilian Professional David Skinner, Quality Assurance Evaluator and 33-year veteran of the Alabama National Guard, stated that giving back to the country is deeply instilled in our profession. He said that we demonstrate that #StillServing characteristic on days like today. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chuck Davis, Department of Strategy and Doctrine, stated, "We cannot just take—we must give back, and community service should be important to everybody. When I was told we need to clean up our institution, I thought I could be in the field for ten days at Fort Stewart, or deployed to Poland, so cleaning up for a few hours in the place I serve every day is not a bad deal." CW4 Davis went on to say that this was a special day and "we do not get enough opportunities to all come together and work with veterans, students, and cadre."

CW5 (retired) Ken Donahue, a Vietnam veteran who served as a Cobra and Apache pilot, says, "Community Service is great; you have to give back." He served 28 years through multiple tours to Vietnam, Germany, Greece, Fort Rucker, and Fort Bragg. He and Robert Skinner, another Vietnam pilot, were presented coins by the Commandant for their service today and their continuous service to the community and the College. They conducted a lot of interviews with senior students who were studying the Vietnam conflict. Ken and Robert rarely miss a VFW Post 6683 event!

Several senior students also participated in the event. The Warrant Officer Intermediate Level Education (WOILE) course prepares Chief Warrant Officers 3 and 4 for roles in operations at Brigade and Division level echelons. The Warrant Officer Senior Service Education (WOSSE) course for Chief Warrant Officers 4 and 5 helps to prepare officers for strategic and joint positions at echelons above the division. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kimberely Windmiller, a WOSSE student who belongs to Sanford, North Carolina VFW Post 5631, has served in the Army for nearly 30 years. She states, "service is incredibly important to me. My grandfather served in World War II, my dad was in Vietnam and the Gulf War, and my brother and I have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Service is deeply ingrained." She further stated that events like this are essential for the young and the old to come together to show that we still have that common bond.

John Wiley Brock VFW Post 6683 is a community service-focused organization. Its 335 members work to maintain their 14-acre property in rural Coffee County, Alabama. Nestled between Enterprise and New Brockton, Post 6683 participates in numerous community events every month, including its popular Community Service meal, which is open to the public once each month. They organize a massive Army-Navy food drive to support their area food bank, and they work diligently to support local businesses that provide Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to Fort Novosel and surrounding communities. These, among the chartered activities of the VFW, are just a few examples of how John Wiley Brock Post 6683 is #StillServing. To see more photos of Post 6683’s Day of Service, go to https://facebook.com/VFW6683.





[NOTE for Editors]:

Photos by Katrina Steddum, Life Member of the Auxiliary of the VFW, Department of Alabama (At-Large)

VFW6683_1:  Group photo of the Commandant (front-center), staff, faculty, select students, TAC Officers, and members of VFW Post 6683 and District 7, Department of Alabama VFW.

VFW6683_2:  Commander, District 7, Department of Alabama VFW Tommy Stephens (left) and Comrade Allan Rodriguez (right), Post 6683 and New Brockton, Alabama, City Council.

VFW6683_3:  CW5(Ret) Jim Steddum (left) observes CW4 Katherine Windmiller (USAR) supports National Day of Service in May 4th attire while Mark Langenkamp, Post 6683 and Army Civilian Professional at USAWOCC prepares hamburgers and hotdogs for a well-deserving and hungry team!

VFW6683_4:  Post Commander Robert “Bob” Schmidbauer helps to pressure walk the sidewalks in between coordinating activities and chatting with students!

VFW6683_5:  Staff and students alike work hard to make their prestigious institution shine on the National Day of Service.

VFW6683_6:  Colonel Kevin McHugh, Commandant, USAWOCC, scrapes and paints the Headquarters building sign and demonstrates leading from the front.

VFW6683_7 through 9:  Staff, faculty, students, and volunteers work around the two main buildings of the Warrant Officer Career College on Fort Novosel on the 3rd Annual National Day of Service.

VFW6683_10:  Families are as committed to service as are the Soldier, Civilians, and Veterans that serve our Nation.

VFW6683_11:  Finally, food is served by Post 6683 thanks to generous grants from the Veteran and Military Support grant and the VFW Foundation. This group sure does deserve it!

VFW66873_12:  In closing, Colonel Kevin McHugh recognized Comrades Ken Donahue and Robert Skinner, aviators that flew in Vietnam and are #StillServing today!

VFW6683_13: Special shoutout to the Training, Advising, and Counseling Officers at the WOCC. They stand tall and stand out in the black shirts and black hats—leading from the front!

Photos are located at:

https://1drv.ms/f/s!ApX4nAEPDC3Kgp9dSBYK1heb44rjZA?e=wssGOZ