A surprise promotion for a Navy Ghazni provincial reconstruction team warrior

Photo By Master Sgt. Sarah Webb | U.S. Navy Seaman William Green is promoted to the rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class during a formation held on Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan, Jan. 28. Green, a Port Richey, Fla., native, is assigned to the PRT as a driver for the commander and also works in the communications section as a radio telephone operator.  

01.28.2010

Story by Master Sgt. Sarah Webb 

Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan — U.S. Navy Seaman William Green attended what he thought was a standard Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team weekly formation, Jan. 28. He thought he was just there to perform the duties of the awards proctor and to listen to the commander and first sergeant's briefing with his fellow PRT members.

Although Green didn't know it at the time, this was going to be much more exciting than the average weekly PRT formation.

After fifteen end-of-tour medals were presented to PRT members, the commander announced that Green was out of uniform. All military members, regardless of service branch, know what this means. The look on Green's face was a clear indicator that he knew exactly what was about to take place.

Green had just been awarded an on-the-spot promotion to petty officer third class under the Navy Combat Meritorious Advancement Program.

"I was really surprised," said Green "I will never forget being promoted over here as part of the PRT. That's what makes it so special to me. I've been in for three and a half years. I've passed all my exams, but I haven't been selected for promotion because my job is locked up. Being promoted out here is something I'll never forget."

Green, originally from Port Richey, Fla., serves as an aircraft crash and salvage rescue firefighter. After his tour in Afghanistan is complete, he'll be reassigned to the USS Boxer at Naval Base San Diego.

Before coming to Afghanistan, he was assigned to the USS Tarawa, an amphibious assault ship. While assigned to that vessel, he deployed for an eight-month West Pacific mission. On that tour, his crew traveled to the Persian Gulf where they conducted daily flight operations. They also sailed to Africa where he participated in a humanitarian assistance aid drop following a natural disaster.

"Being here is awesome," said Green. "It's a great experience. I actually volunteered to come here. I wanted to see a different side of the military, something completely different from what I do in the Navy. I wanted to have boots on ground instead of being on the water."

Green is an up-armored Cougar driver for the commanding officer of the PRT. He also works in the communications section as a radio telephone operator. He fixes communications devices within the vehicles and stands watch in the tactical operations center, tracking and communicating with convoys while they are conducting operations.

"Petty Officer Green is a superb and talented sailor," said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Wilson Marks, commanding officer of the PRT. "I hand-picked him to be my driver because of his enthusiasm for the mission and his exceptional ability to learn things quickly. He is a phenomenal asset to the team and being able to promote him through CMAP is one of the highlights of my tour."

When asked what his most memorable experience here has been, he quickly answered the day he earned his combat action ribbon.

On the first mission executed by Ghazni PRT after arriving in theater, the convoy was attacked by enemy mortar fire.

"I was driving the commander on a mission to Jaghato. While we were traveling through a small village I spotted a plume of dirt approximately 25 meters ahead of my vehicle," Green recounted. "The mortars kept dropping. It was scary. I knew I had to be professional and not freeze up. It was my job to get the commander out of there."

Because no point of origin could be identified, the decision was made to push through the kill zone without maneuvering or firing. Greens calm, mature actions under fire and skillful driving through the rugged terrain assisted with the convoys' safe return to the FOB.

For his actions during this mission, Green received the Navy Combat Action Ribbon.

Green competed for the promotion against all the other sailors at the rank of E-3 in Afghanistan.

"Petty Officer Green is an outstanding sailor," said his supervisor U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Christopher Debus, communications officer for the PRT. "Coming here billeted as the CO's driver, then asked to work for the communication shop is a lot to ask from such a junior sailor. He is working totally out of his rate and didn't know the least bit about radio communications equipment or how to stand watch in the tactical operations center. It's no wonder he received the command's nomination and was selected for this promotion."

Known as the "go-to expert" when it comes to troubleshooting, Green repairs a wide variety of communication equipment inside the vehicles used by the PRT which suffer damage due to hard use and enemy engagement. He also voluntarily helps train soldiers assigned to other units who have no communications personnel assigned. Going above and beyond simply fixing the equipment, Green supervised and trained the other units to be able to complete their own necessary repairs.

"If not for his can-do attitude and quick study, the downtime for these vehicles would have been triple or more due to the need to have them evacuated to a higher level maintenance facility," said Debus. "Green is a true force multiplier."

• Date Taken: 01.28.2010
• Date Posted: 01.28.2010 15:17
• Story ID: 44574