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Officer's career path is through Army
Soldier-profile---1st-Lt.-Maria-Castro
First Lt. Maria Castro - photo by Photo provided.

First Lt. Maria Castro said active duty Army service is helping her reach her career goals. The activated reserve officer is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq.
“I just wanted to do active duty work. I thought it would be a good career path,” Castro said.
The young officer went into the Army Reserves right after graduating college from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She has three years of active duty under her belt, and plans to continue on active duty when she redeploys to Fort Stewart in December.
Her goal is to apply for acceptance into a clinical social work program at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where she can earn a master’s degree in social work.
Castro said her ultimate goal is to become a mental-health provider and counsel soldiers.
“I’ve learned a lot from several different leaders,” she said. Castro said she has had good days and bad days in the military.
“That comes with it,” she said.
Castro currently serves as the 3rd BSB medical supply officer in Iraq. She was the evacuation (ambulance) platoon leader during the first seven months of her deployment.
“As evacuation platoon leader I was in charge of 24 soldiers,” Castro said. “We would respond to anything that happened on the FOB — if anyone got injured. If we were to be attacked, we would send out the ambulance team to bring them back here to FOB falcon. Our treatment squad would then take over and assess the injuries.”
Fortunately, her brigade did not experience any serious incidents, she said.
As evacuation platoon leader, Castro also coordinated logistical convoy patrols ensuring that a medic accompanied the convoy and vehicles were “prepped and ready, aid bags stocked and ready for any incidents.”
As a medical supply officer, the young officer is in charge of medical supplies for six units. She orders the supplies, coordinates distribution and inventories controlled substances.
 “They’re a very touchy subject and under lock and key,” she said. Controlled substances in the brigade’s inventory include morphine, Xanax, Percocet and Vicodin.  
Castro said she has not personally worked with Iraqi security forces, but has helped pack some convoys with vitamins and over-the-counter medications such as calamine lotion and bacitracin, which were delivered to about 300 local Iraqi women and children.
“I didn’t personally get to go but I saw pictures,” she said. “I hope to go out soon. I want to see how it’s done.”
Medics usually engage with the local people, Castro said.
“We’ve done six of these deliveries, and will do more in the coming months,” she added.
Castro comes from a family with a military tradition. Her father served in Korea, and her sister is currently in the Army reserves stationed in their home state of Colorado. Her brother is deployed with an Army National Guard unit to Talil, Iraq.
“Hopefully I can fly out to see him,” she said.

Editor’s note: The following is the fourth installment in a series profiling the men and women of the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division now deployed to Iraq.
 

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Exchange Service salutes Vietnam vets with custom truck design
Army and Air Force Exchange Service redesigned logo 2011

To thank Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is debuting a new truck design, part of the Department of Defense retailer’s efforts alongside the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to honor veterans during the 50th anniversary of the war.

“The Exchange is privileged to have the opportunity to recognize Vietnam veterans through our fleet,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era. “These trucks will serve as rolling billboards, expressing gratitude for all who served during this era.”

The truck design features the silhouette of a lone service member set against the background of a faded horizon with a call to “thank a Vietnam veteran for service to our nation.” The single military member represents the warfighters who served during this time.

Three trucks in the fleet feature the commemorative design and will deliver merchandise to Exchange stores from the organization’s distribution centers in the continental United States.

The West Coast Distribution Center at Sharpe Army Depot in California; Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va.; and the Waco Distribution Center in Texas will each have a truck in service on their standard delivery routes, serving the whole country.

Air Force veteran Pat Thompson served in Vietnam before coming to the Exchange as a truck driver and mechanic. In his 18 years with the Exchange, he has deployed four times to support the troops. The new design means a lot to him.

“They remember,” said Thompson, who is based at the Exchange’s Waco Distribution Center. “We want to be remembered.”

The trucks also highlight the veteran online shopping benefit, which launched in November. The lifelong online military exchange benefit authorizes all who served honorably to enjoy tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing at ShopMyExchange.com.

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The U.S. began commemoration of the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary in 2012 and will continue through Veterans Day 2025.

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the commemoration.

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