Courtesy Photo | Capt. Megan Mabey, commander of D Company, 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion, poses for...... read more read more
Capt. Megan Mabey has flown over 20 times between Idaho and Texas to balance her duties with the Idaho National Guard and her role as a security specialist at NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston. During her most recent trip to Idaho Mabey took command of D Company, 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion on Dec. 6 at Gowen Field.
Mabey deployed to Southwest Asia with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team in support of Operation Spartan Shield in 2022. Her time on the deployment allowed her to gain real-world experience in a high stress environment; which helped prepare her for company command and her civilian career at NASA.
“I am honored and extremely excited to have the opportunity to command the MICO (D Company),” said Mabey. “I’ve spent my entire military career in the intelligence world and being the only intel company in the brigade, I was always striving to be the obvious choice when it came time for a new commander.”
Prior to starting her military career, Mabey aspired to commission as an intelligence officer. She accomplished that goal after she joined the Idaho National Guard in 2017.
Mabey’s military experience provided her with the skills and training that enabled her to get a job at NASA in June 2024. She said that Classified National Security Information practices and procedures at NASA are nearly identical to those in the military. Her time as a security specialist for the Idaho Army National Guard and as a foreign disclosure officer while deployed prepared her for her duties at NASA. At the same time, Mabey’s duties at NASA have complimented her responsibilities in the Idaho National Guard.
“I am very lucky as the skills I’ve developed at NASA go hand in hand with my National Guard responsibilities,” said Mabey. “In both roles, the protection of classified information is crucial as well as the security of everyday operations. Like most organizations, both are very mission focused, however with NASA’s focus aimed more toward innovation and the National Guard aimed more toward defense and emergency response, I’m able to apply the knowledge of each one towards the other and hopefully provide a unique perspective.”
In addition to serving as a company commander and working as a security specialist for NASA, Mabey is pursuing a master’s degree in earth and planetary science. Balancing the demands of two careers and a graduate program is challenging, but Mabey emphasizes effective communication with leadership across all aspects of her professional life is crucial to managing her responsibilities.
“Both careers are filled with people from every walk of life and being able to adapt and work in a team is absolutely crucial,” Mabey said. “In every team it is important to not only understand good leadership, but also good followership.”
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2024 17:00 |
| Story ID: | 487634 |
| Location: | IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Service and Security: Guardsman balances command in Idaho and security at NASA, by SSgt Jadyn Eisenbrandt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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