Courtesy Photo | U.S. Air Force Capt. Chris Park, Innovative Readiness Training Air National Guard...... read more read more
U.S. Air Force Capt. Chris Park, Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Air National Guard deputy program manager, recently served as a guest panel speaker at the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Conference to increase awareness of the IRT program.
The IRT program is a Department of Defense (DoD) military training initiative exclusive to the United States and its territories. It provides joint training opportunities to enhance deployment readiness offering no-cost services, such as medical and construction, to American communities.
Park, who enlisted in the military after witnessing the devastation of 9/11 in his community, participated in his first IRT mission as a traditional guardsman while still enlisted. He was contemplating leaving the military at the time.
"I was planning to leave the Air Force, but then, as a staff sergeant, I did my first IRT," he said. "We were constructing a STEM research center for the Girl Scouts of Hawaii, and it completely blew my mind. When I first arrived, it was just a dirt foundation. Years later, we had built this incredible facility for young girls, and I couldn't believe it—I thought, this is amazing."
Not only did he decide to stay in the Air Force, but he also commissioned and left his ten- year career as an executive recruiter for law firms to work for IRT full-time.
Having developed a partnership with community partner Christina Wooden, Delta Regional Authority health programs manager, during previous IRT missions such as Green River Wellness in Kentucky, Park was a natural choice to speak at the conference. The NADO program advocates for regional community and economic development by promoting federal policies supporting equitable community development, rural economic growth, and enhanced economic mobility.
Park and Wooden agreed IRT is the “best kept secret” of the DoD, so they kicked off their presentation with the IRT 101 video and then opened the floor for Q&A. With an audience comprised of a wide range of stakeholders from community development, economic development, and government sectors, including regional development practitioners, policymakers, and federal agency representatives, buy-in wasn’t a hard sell.
“A lot of people in the audience were shocked this program exists,” Park said. “They were excited about the opportunity and how they could implement it in their home states.”
Many questions focused on the application process, but with a community partner present, they were quickly answered from a first-hand perspective.
“There are still a lot of people who don't know that our program exists,” Park said. “The sheer joy of people getting excited and curious, and the anticipation and the opportunity for a possible IRT team in their home state, that was refreshing for me.”
By the end of the event, Park had made several connections for potential new partnerships and was invited to return next year.
“My kids see I travel a lot, and they know what I do for a living, especially my son,” he said. “I'm proud to tell him that I'm going into an American community to help out and set up military missions there. He's proud of his dad.”
For more information on the IRT program or to invite a speaker to an event, contact IRT via email at osd.irt@mail.mil or via phone at (703) 695-7060.
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2025 14:57 |
| Story ID: | 494770 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 751 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, NYC-native speaks at NADO conference after quitting job to help American communities, by MSgt Rachelle Morris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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