{"id":33791,"date":"2023-11-02T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=33791"},"modified":"2023-11-04T06:42:41","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T06:42:41","slug":"us-army-unit-champions-environmental-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=33791","title":{"rendered":"US Army unit champions environmental protection"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Soldiers from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works stand with representatives from the U.S. Army Europe and Africa environmental team after an awards ceremony in their honor for excellence in environmental protection Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin, Capt. Devin Lassetter, and Maj. Cecil James Barnes II from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works pose with coins awarded to them for excellence in environmental protection Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the U.S. Army Europe and Africa environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin, Capt. Devin Lassetter, and Maj. Cecil James Barnes II from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works pose with coins awarded to them for excellence in environmental protection Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the U.S. Army Europe and Africa environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Mr. Mike Tillema, environmental chief at U.S. Army Europe and Africa, stands with Staff Sgt. Alec Yank and Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works after an awards ceremony, honoring the 201st RSG DPW for environmental excellence Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Maj. Cecil James Barnes II from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works awards coins to Mr. Fabian Kahiamoe and Mr. Mike Tillema from the U.S. Army Europe and Africa environmental team Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. The USAEUR-AF environmental team held its first ever awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Maj. Cecil James Barnes II from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works awards a coin to Mr. Mike Tillema from the U.S. Army Europe and Africa environmental team Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. The USAEUR-AF environmental team held its first ever awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Maj. Cecil James Barnes II and Capt. Devin Lassetter from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receive awards from Mr. Mike Tillema, environmental director, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Maj. Cecil James Barnes II and Capt. Devin Lassetter from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receive awards from Mr. Mike Tillema, environmental director, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Maj. Cecil James Barnes II and Capt. Devin Lassetter from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receive awards from Mr. Mike Tillema, environmental director, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Staff Sgt. Alec Yank and Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receive awards from Mr. Mike Tillema, environmental director, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receives awards from Mr. Mike Tillema, environmental director, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Staff Sgt. Alec Yank and Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receive awards from Mr. Mike Tillema, environmental director, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Staff Sgt. Alec Yank and Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receive awards for excellence in environmental protection Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Soldiers from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works stand together prior to an awards ceremony to recognize their excellence in environmental protection Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the U.S. Army Europe and Africa environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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\n Maj. Cecil James Barnes II and Capt. Devin Lassetter from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works receive awards for excellence in environmental protection Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first time the USAEUR-AF environmental team has held an awards ceremony for a unit in central Europe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Capt. Maria L. L. Salcido)
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CAMP KO\u015aCIUSZKO, Poland \u2013 U.S. soldiers received a first-of-its-kind award from U.S. Army Europe and Africa for implementing a strong Baltic region environmental program Nov. 2, 2023, in Poznan, Poland.<\/p>\n

Soldiers from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works have been ensuring environmental protection is maintained at U.S. Army sites across NATO\u2019s eastern flank, including sites in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, but they will soon redeploy, leaving the 198th Regional Support Group to take up the responsibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe environmental piece of the mission is important because this is not our land,\u201d said Capt. Devin Lassetter from the 201st RSG DPW. \u201cIt\u2019s about respecting the host nation, host nation laws, host nation compliance and just being a good steward of what we\u2019ve been given.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lassetter said his team could not be successful without guidance from the USAEUR-AF. He said that Mr. Fabian Kahiamoe, an environmental protection specialist, and Mr. Mike Tillema, the environmental chief, were always available via phone call or text message.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not there just to stop projects and stop work,\u201d said Tillema. \u201cWe\u2019re there to help and provide resources and guidance for what to do if there\u2019s a spill or something, so we can keep environmental protection standards and maintain those host nation relationships we\u2019ve built.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tillema decided it was time to recognize soldiers in the field who are enforcing and enacting the policies his team writes. The USAEUR-AF environmental program isn\u2019t new, but it is growing. He awarded challenge coins and letters of appreciation for this first awards ceremony, but has plans to develop something more unique for future awardees.<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrently, it\u2019s the letters of appreciation and coins, but it will morph into specific environmental coins or awards certificates for future go-arounds,\u201d said Tillema.<\/p>\n

Tillema said that communication and a robust training program are the two most important factors for a successful environmental program, and the 201st RSG DPW team has been expertly building both.<\/p>\n

Lassetter said his team listens to what units need at each forward operating site and keeps consistent, positive communications between all of them, which yields successful results. For example, if a unit needs spill kits, and another unit has extra, his team can facilitate a swift and effective trade.<\/p>\n

The 201st RSG DPW team has spent the last week traveling to sites all over the region with their replacements from the 198th RSG to ensure proper training and familiarization with U.S. units and host nation contacts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve created relationships with our host nation contractors that pick up our hazardous waste and stuff, so if our mayor\u2019s cells are having any trouble working with host nations, we can be an additional asset to help them,\u201d said Lassetter. \u201cIt\u2019s been successful so far in improving the overall environmental posture of all the FOSs throughout our region.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 201st RSG DPW team\u2019s premier success was implementing an inspection program.<\/p>\n

Tillema described the inspection program as extremely prompt and consistent. The program has been integral to getting funding to help units in the field get crucial equipment because post-inspection reports include detailed issues and solutions. For example, the reports directly resulted in all sites getting proper containment structures for HAZMAT.<\/p>\n

Above all, Lassetter credits his non-commissioned officers with the unit\u2019s environmental protection success.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good to see no complacency in the NCOs and the efforts they\u2019ve made,\u201d said Lassetter. \u201cThey are truly being the backbone of the Army by not allowing complacency. Especially Sgt. 1st Class Ruffin, the lead environmental officer for all his NCOs throughout the Baltics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sgt. 1st Class Gerod Ruffin said he feels blessed to have the opportunity to work on his team\u2019s mission during the program\u2019s revamp; he\u2019s proud of their work.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me personally and professionally, it has been very rewarding and challenging in a positive way,\u201d said Ruffin. \u201cI always ask questions about how host nations conduct their practices along with what things work and how it affects their day-to-day activities environmentally.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ruffin asserted that he and his team take pride in environmental safety, shouldering the responsibility to bring units up to the required standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur effort is to try to assure, deter and reinforce,\u201d said Lassetter, referring to the U.S. Army\u2019s overall mission in central Europe.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of that assurance is to assure the host nations that we have environmental considerations under control,\u201d Lassetter said. \u201cWe just want to make sure that we maintain good relationships with all the people that we meet through the entire Baltic region.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 15 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 Soldiers from the 201st Regional Support Group, Directorate of Public Works stand with representatives from the U.S. Army Europe and Africa environmental team after an awards ceremony in their honor for excellence in environmental protection Nov. 2, 2023, at Camp Ko\u015bciuszko, Poland. This is the first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33793,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33791"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33809,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33791\/revisions\/33809"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}