What? There are laws? : Graduation and a time for goodbyes
Posted on Sunday, September 7, 2008
The day after you read this, my fellow classmates and I will graduate from the Air University, and I will be on my way home to Bella Vista. This will be a time to say goodbye to all those I have gotten to know over the last several weeks while attending the Paralegal Craftsman Course here at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.
It is odd how quickly you get to know people in such a short time, and that you will actually miss having them around. This is how the military life is, spending short or long times in God-forsaken places around the world, where even there you meet those whom you will call friends the rest of your lives. But we keep doing this because it is about being a part of the best team in the world, no matter what branch of service you are in, the United States military.
The National Guard members have a dual role in this process, not only do they answer the call to active duty; they also answer the call to the states where they live by the governor during natural disasters and times of need. We receive the same training as active-duty members and train right beside them, so when called to active service, we can assume the duties required of us, with no pause in the workflow.
And when our job is done and it is time to go home, we go back to our civilian jobs and report monthly to our Guard bases, where the training never stops. For active duty, National Guard and reserve members, you are constantly receiving updates to your training and attending schools all over the country. This is what it takes to stay on top of things and to be the best at what we do.
One of the trainings we went on was called Blue Thunder, where we simulated deploying to a foreign country, and stayed in tents just like they are doing and have been doing in Iraq since the beginning of the war on terrorism. We were put through a number of scenarios and tested to see what our reactions would be dealing with foreign nationals and possible terrorists. This proved to be a harder test than what you might think. You cannot stereotype anyone, and all or none could be the enemy. You just had to watch and learn by their actions, to know which reaction you needed to apply. We were also put through quite a few legal situations because we have to also be well versed in foreign national law where we are deployed. All in all, it was a real eye opener for most, and a grim reminder for those who have already been overseas in the middle of the war. To the graduating Paralegal Craftsman Course, Class 08-003, congratulations, and may you go far in your military careers and in your personal lives as well. And to the instructors that taught us so well, Master Sgt. Herrera, Technical Sgt. Shively and Master Sgt. Powell, thank you for the tools you gave us to further our careers.
• • • James "Rusty "Rusterholz has more than 12 years of experience as an Arkansas law-enforcement officer. He now works as the investigator for the Public Defender's Office in Benton County. If you have any questions, contact him at arklawinfo 01 @ cox. net. The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not represent legal advice.
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