By Army Sgt. Neil Gussman, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade DoD
News Features, Defense Media Activity
ANNVILLE, Pa., December 10, 2015 — Nearly 100 years ago,
young American men were leaving farms across America, joining every branch of
the military to fight in World War I. One-third of Americans lived on a farm
during the first decades of the 20th century, so nearly every squad of soldiers
had farmers in it.
Today, less than two out of every 100 Americans live on a
farm, but one of those Americans with a small family farm is headed for his
fifth deployment. Pennsylvania Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jeff
Kwiecien, a flight medic with nearly 20 years of service, will soon be leaving
for Southwest Asia. He is deploying with Detachment 1, Charlie Company, 2nd
Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment, where he will serve as noncommissioned
officer in charge of the unit.
On 4.5 acres in central Pennsylvania, Kwiecien and his
family raise chickens, ducks and guinea hens. He is considering adding goats
and bees to his existing flock of nearly 50 birds, but those plans are on hold
until after he returns. Raising poultry for eggs and for the table is one of
several hobbies Kwiecien has, including making medical apparel, rock climbing
and playing the drums.
Kwiecien joined the Army in 1996, serving on active duty for
six years. He joined the Army National Guard in 2003. In 19 years of service he
has deployed to Bosnia, Saudi Arabia and twice to Iraq, most recently with the
56th Stryker Brigade in 2009. He has served on active duty with the National
Guard since returning from deployment in 2010.
In a phone interview while he was on a weekend pass,
Kwiecien talked about his view of life before going on another deployment.
Persistence Pays Off
He said he was a product of “years of failure,” adding, “I
am very persistent. I think that persistence has paid off, because after 19
years and many failures I feel like I’ve learned a lot, and like Thomas Edison
who figured all the ways not to make a light bulb, I move on and stick with the
things that work,” Kwiecien said. “It’s better to try and fail than to never
give your dream a shot.”
As an example, he cited his experience with a weekend-long
evaluation for an Army National Guard Special Forces unit in Maryland. He said
he made it through the first weekend and was told he could come back for the
second round of evaluations, but before he could return he was promoted. By
taking the promotion, he took himself out of the program. Although he did not
make it into the Special Forces, he said he does not regret the attempt.
In his free time, Kwiecien said he likes to find serenity in
nature. “My big plan after deployment is to go to Zion National Park in Utah
with my family,” he said. “Getting away from civilization and being one with
nature. Rock climbing and hiking are things I really look forward to on visits
to national parks.”
Philosophies for Life
“You can have the best idea, but execution makes a good idea
real,” Kwiecien said. “A good plan put into motion today and refined as needed
is better than a great plan that hasn’t been started. Hesitation and indecision
kill good plans and good ideas.”
There will always be drama, he said. “It’s nothing new and
it’s never going away. I tell my soldiers, ‘Keep your private life private and
your professional life professional and I won’t need to be involved in your
private life.’”
Kwiecien said the best advice he ever received came from his
father. “My dad told me when I was graduating from high school and we were
looking at colleges that people should always have a skill in addition to
higher education,” he said. So, in addition to growing his farm, Kwiecien plans
to start a business making medical clothing for first responders when he
returns from his deployment.
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