Photo By Sgt. Jennifer Sardam | DOHA, Qatar - When he's not in military uniform, U.S. Army Reserve 1st Sgt. John A....... read more read more
By Spc. Jennifer Sardam
CENTCOM Public Affairs/ESGR Forward Team
DOHA, Qatar - When he's not in military uniform, U.S. Army Reserve 1st Sgt. John A. Baca is a public health educator at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) for its Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program (TUPAC).
One of NMDOH's many goals is "a timely response to emergencies and threats to public health." This goal could easily apply to Baca's job as a military leader deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), where he continuously deals with the needs and welfare of troops in his command.
As the Headquarters Commandant first sergeant for U.S. Central Command's (USCENTCOM) Forward Headquarters in Qatar, Baca has many duties, from conducting counseling sessions and other necessary training to physical readiness tests.
USCENTCOM, which is located at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla., is the unified command responsible for U.S. security interests in 27 nations that stretch from the Horn of Africa (HOA) through the Arabian Gulf region, into Central Asia. USCENTCOM is one of nine unified commands in the Department of Defense (DOD).
Central Command's mission includes enhancing regional stability and demonstrating a steadfast commitment to regional security. CENTCOM is also responsible for executing the Global War on Terror in its assigned area of responsibility (AOR), which includes Iraq, Afghanistan and HOA. Other important USCENTCOM activities include humanitarian and security assistance programs, as well as combined training and education opportunities for military members in AOR nations.
Although the specific tasks for Baca's military and civilian positions differ, both career fields require equally transferable skills.
Training is a necessity in all jobs across the armed forces. With almost 30 years total military service, Baca knows how to train soldiers of varying levels of fitness and capabilities.
It's also one of his favorite things about being a first sergeant. "I always liked working with troops," he said, "and now my main emphasis is to mentor junior NCOs (noncommissioned officers) and young soldiers."
On the job in Albuquerque, N.M., his military skills, along with a decade of NMDOH experience, help him to develop scopes of work that organizations must carry out to receive funding from TUPAC. He monitors contracts and provides training to contractors statewide. "It can range from providing tobacco prevention to K-12 schools," said Baca, 'to start-up funds to help a coalition introduce clean indoor ordinances."
As a public health educator, he also speaks at national conferences focused on New Mexico's efforts in tobacco control.
He credits the Total Army Instructor Training Course (TAITC) for sharpening his abilities in public speaking and working with groups. The TAITC is an 80-hour course of instruction designed to teach active component instructors to deliver battle-focused training in the Total Army School System. Baca went through the training and later became an instructor, teaching the course to Guardsmen, reservists, active-duty personnel and civilians.
Baca is a Noncommissioned Officer Education System (NCOES) training site coordinator who supervises NCOES detachment instructors at the New Mexico National Guard Regional Training Institute. Before he deployed, he supervised the 6th Brigade, 9502nd NCOES Detachment based in Topeka, Kan. The deployment to OEF is his second long-term deployment as a reservist, following a 2004 mobilization to Lima, Peru. There he worked at the U.S. Embassy as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Joint Planning Assistant Team (JPAT) to support Counterdrug Operations.
His previous deployment enhanced his knowledge on how to notify his employer concerning mobilization.
"The biggest thing they want is orders," said Baca. "I kept informing them four months out."
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA, allows Baca and other mobilized military members to retain their rights to return to their civilian jobs following a deployment. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. ESGR volunteers provide free education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees.
As the 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens, ESGR will continue to be the information agency for the employers of America's new Minutemen. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at (800) 336-4590.
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| Date Taken: | 02.28.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2006 13:59 |
| Story ID: | 5540 |
| Location: | DOHA, QA |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 21 |
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