“My son has always been a little different with how he thinks! Not like the typical kid would think or act,” said Sean Poliseno, father of U.S. Army 1st Lt. Teagan Poliseno.
Growing up less than an hour away from Hollywood and attending school with several child actors, Teagan Poliseno, an EOD officer with the 303rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, saw an offer from his father as an opportunity and capitalized on it.
“He came home one day after I shared with him his older brother and his sister were each getting an upgrade on a dirt bike and computer respectively. I said to him, ‘your budget is like $2000,’” said Sean. “He said, ‘I don’t want a new dirt bike but instead I want acting lessons.’ He ended up booking three commercials and made back more than triple the $2000 in earnings.”
Even with commercials for Direct TV, Honda, and a television show pilot episode, Teagan knew his purpose in life was always military service.
“I couldn’t see myself just sitting at a desk, getting by in the corporate life. I really wanted to make a difference,” said Teagan. “Knowing what my great grandfather did, he had a Purple Heart, Silver Star, the Air Force Cross (the second-highest Air Force military decoration for heroism in combat) I mean learning about his career; the difference and impact you can make in the military, I feel that gives life meaning and purpose.”
Teagan’s need to make a difference and find purpose led him to enlist in the Army Reserves in 2018 and be commissioned as an EOD officer in 2022.
“EOD was my first choice,” said Teagan. “I grew up watching old war movies, Black Hawk Down, like being in (combat) with the guys and girls was the biggest appeal; just embracing the suck with everybody, and you can’t do that anywhere else.”
EOD officers and technicians are responsible for a myriad of things, including disarming and neutralizing explosive devices in a variety of terrains and environments, while often operating in small teams.
“Junior EOD officers are expected to jump right in as a platoon leader, executive officer or as a battalion operations officer as they scramble to figure out how the Army works,” said Maj. Andrew Heap, executive officer of the 303rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD). “He (Teagan) really exemplifies everything you could ask for in a junior officer. Recognizing he had to wait over six months for a platoon leader position, he knocked out Jungle Operations Training Course and then asked if he could pursue more.”
Teagan, wanting more, decided to commit to Ranger School.
“We (EOD technicians) work closely with the maneuver elements, and my mentor in ROTC said, ‘If you want a seat at the table, you have to speak the language,’” said Teagan. “So, I decided Ranger School was the best way to speak the same language as my maneuver counterparts.”
Ranger School is considered one of the most difficult training courses in the military, with a graduation rate of less than 50 percent.
“What Ranger School taught me very well is that the people who maintain a positive mindset are the ones that make it,” said Teagan. “The physical is grueling, understanding how the infantry works is important, but truthfully, learning to embrace the suck is one of the biggest lessons you learn.”
Senior leaders who have interacted with Teagan know that once he set his mind to the task, graduating from Ranger School was only a matter of when he would stand on Victory Pond with the coveted Ranger tab.
“Teagan is an intelligent and motivated junior officer, and, as a person, he’s displayed confidence, strong work ethic and self-awareness,” said Maj. Zachary Abood, deputy EOD lead for the U.S. Army Pacific. He remained focused on balancing his work responsibilities and his extensive training schedule for Ranger School, which is difficult for a new lieutenant.
Graduating from Ranger School is a difficult accomplishment for any Soldier. Immediately following his return to Hawaii after Ranger School, Teagan pushed past recovery to keep a promise to a fellow lieutenant.
“While still recovering from Ranger School, he decided to run the Honolulu Marathon in jeans,” said Heap. “This level of drive and performance, combined with the surprising degree of humility, will serve him well as a leader in the Army for many years to come.”
As Teagan looks forward to continuing his Army career, he will always appreciate what his childhood acting days taught him.
“I was super quiet and super shy. Honestly, acting exposes you; you’re super uncomfortable,” said Teagan, laughing. “Obviously, there’s some parallels to briefing and clearly being able to openly and effectively communicate with your guys. I definitely needed that confidence, and acting gave me that.”
With his ability to communicate and strong work ethic, Poliseno continues to impress the senior leaders around him. As he looks to add the title of platoon leader to his list of accomplishments next year, no one saw this coming and is prouder than his father.
“Teagan has a strong commitment to excellence. The standard he created for himself started at a young age,” said the proud dad. “He is a driven individual, and he holds himself to a very high standard. This makes for an amazing young man, and I am very proud to say that’s my son.”
Date Taken: | 12.19.2024 |
Date Posted: | 12.19.2024 14:49 |
Story ID: | 487991 |
Location: | HAWAII, US |
Hometown: | VALENCIA, CALIFORNIA, US |
Web Views: | 41 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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