Photo By Kristin Hoelen | Master Sgt. Renner demonstrates first aid training to a deployee during training in...... read more read more
WINCHESTER, Va. – In the years since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Deployment Center opened in 2005, more than 9,400 civilians, contractors and military have passed through its doors to train and prepare for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The deployment center, part of the Middle East District, falls under the purview of the Plans and Operations Division. Its dedicated staff of military and civilian professionals makes sure all deployees’ needs are met prior to deployment. While the center opened to meet the needs of USACE civilians deploying for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, its customer base soon expanded to include the Army Materiel Command and other DOD customers.
For the past few years, Master Sgts. Joseph Longinotti and Frederick Renner have led this training. This year, however, marks the end of their tours with the Middle East District since the Department of the Army allows Soldiers to be assigned to a duty station only for a certain period of time.
Longinotti, originally from Little Rock, Ark., enlisted in the Army as a reservist in November 1981. He came to the district in October 2007, following the Base Realignment and Closure of the 90th Regional Readiness Command. He is the noncommissioned officer in charge and primary instructor for the deployment center.
Renner, from New York, N.Y., enlisted in the Army in 1982 and has been at the district since March 2009 as an instructor.
The two have worked together since summer 2009 as operations noncommissioned officers for the deployment center and the Emergency Operations Center. Because of increasing numbers of deployees during that time, the deployment center separated the classes into two groups: USACE and AMC.
The master sergeants trained an average of 50 to 60 people a week. Their deployees consisted of military and civilian members of all ranks and grades, as well as some contractor personnel.
Each week these instructors train deployees to be prepared at their deployed location, teaching them protective mask usage, first aid, proper uniform wear, post traumatic stress warning signs, improvised explosive device awareness, force protection, and other skills governed by the Department of the Army Personnel Policy Guidance. Longinotti and Renner also provide weapons instruction for military members.
“It feels like Groundhog Day when you do the same thing week after week,” said Longinotti. “But meeting different people each week makes it enjoyable.”
They said they use their life experiences in the military to augment the training that is already in place. The two said this provides a personal experience for the deployees because by-the-book training does not always teach everything a person should know to be prepared. The class size allows them to have a personal relationship with each of the participants.
“We are helping to prepare them for some inherent dangers downrange,” said Renner. “We help get them to where they aren’t stressed out about deploying. We give everyone practice with hands-on skills, and we work with those who are struggling to get them fully prepared.”
“There is no way to measure how many peoples’ lives have been saved with the quality of training these two give,” said Ron Wagner, the AMC liaison who has worked with the master sergeants since they came to the deployment center.
Longinotti and Renner said that last August a deployee had been in theater for two weeks when he emailed to say the first aid training helped him assist in saving lives. The deployee indicated that six people were injured in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He and other deployees provided aid to the injured until they could get help.
Renner and Longinotti have experienced physical changes to the USACE Deployment Center as its operations expanded to accommodate more DOD agencies in recent years. They have also watched coworkers come and go, and they acknowledge the great teamwork that exists at the center.
“We have a great staff with some truly dedicated individuals who make up a great team,” said Renner.
“We were lucky to have the support from people like Keith Frye, Ron Wagner, Cora Swain and everyone else here. It has been a great place to work with amazing people,” said Longinotti.
Longinotti and Renner also acknowledged their families’ support. “It is tough on families to be in the military. A strong family group makes a strong military member,” said Renner.
Renner’s last day was Aug. 2, and he will continue working with USACE.
Longinotti’s last day is Oct. 20. He does not know exactly what the future will hold for him, but he knows he will spend a few more years in the military.
In their last few months, the master sergeants have been training their replacement, Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Brooks.
“Master Sgt. Longinotti and Master Sgt. Renner have been instrumental in conducting training and seeing that the classes are kept on schedule,” said Keith Frye, USACE Deployment Center manager. “They are two exceptional senior noncommissioned officers, and both will be sorely missed.”
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2012 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 93645 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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