Photo By Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh | U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Micah Pohlman, a canon crewmember assigned to Headquarters...... read more read more
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Joining the National Guard right out of high school in 1991, Sgt. 1st Class Micah Pohlman, a Minnesota native, faced early challenges in his military career.
"I was medically discharged after 11 months for a wisdom tooth complication," he recounted.
Thirteen years later, he re-enlisted in 2004 amid a very different military landscape. Pohlman has deployed four times in his 20-year career; his first deployment was to Iraq in 2006-2007 with the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery Regiment. He later deployed to Kuwait in 2011-2012, and Afghanistan in 2020-2021. Pohlman is currently deployed with the Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division as part of Task Force Spartan. Each experience brought its own challenges and growth.
"Every deployment, I worked my way up—from a worker bee to a platoon sergeant and now working at a division level," he explained.
These experiences broadened his perspective, allowing him to see the bigger picture of military operations. Reflecting on 9/11, he described it as a pivotal moment in history.
"September 11 was the pivot point, similar to Germany invading Poland in 1939. It affected everything everywhere," he said. This event influenced his decision to rejoin the military in 2004. "It bugged me that I got kicked out, but when I rejoined, I knew I was going to get deployed."
On his 27th birthday, September 11, 2001, Pohlman remembers working as an auto mechanic in a body shop in Wilmar, Minnesota. He was glued to the radio, listening to the news as the tragedy struck. He remembers thinking that it wasn't an accident.
Over his years of service, Pohlman has seen significant changes in both himself and the military, with some of those changes relating directly to the aftermath of 9/11.
"The Guard went from weekend warriors to serious professionals who needed to get it right on the first try," he noted.
The events of 9/11 and his subsequent deployments have reinforced his sense of purpose.
"There's always something bigger out there and being part of something bigger than yourself gives you a sense of purpose," he said.
This sense of duty and the desire to make a difference have kept him in the military for over 20 years. In his current deployment, the focus is on building and enhancing partnerships, particularly with allies like Jordan.
"We've been allies with Jordan for over 75 years," he pointed out. "We don't want to see our friends get hurt, and these partnerships are crucial for mutual security and stability."
As he continues to serve, he remains committed to the values and lessons learned over two decades of military service.
"It's not that I hate what's in front of me; it's that I love what's behind," he concluded, summarizing the lasting sense of duty that drives him forward.
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2024 03:02 |
| Story ID: | 479600 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 154 |
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