Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Dad's duties to troops and tots By Sgt. Ed Balaban
                Arizona National Guard Public Affairs
 COOLIDGE, Ariz. - When Arizona Army National Guard Capt. Brian Dudley deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in November 2005, he left behind his wife and six-week old son. For a year he served as a security force platoon commander in the Arizona National Guard’s 1-180th Field Artillery, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, coordinating a variety of security-related missions and responsibilities in and around Iraq. Dudley volunteered to deploy the first time. For this deployment, his response to his unit was: "I have to ask my wife.” Amy Dudley vividly remembers the conversation. "He asked, and I told him that I would support him in whatever decision he made; command is important and I know how much being in command would mean to him, personally and professionally.” With Amy’s steadfast support and seasoned with experiences gained during that initial deployment, Dudley seized the opportunity to go back again. This time, he is commander of a unit in a unique and specialized community that he "very much wanted to be part of.” Dudley leads 24 citizen-Soldiers back to Iraq for a year in charge of an explosive ordnance disposal company. Their job is to provide unexploded ordnance clearance, render safe procedures, protection of dignitaries, ordnance awareness training, range clearance and support, gathering of technical data from and disruption of improvised explosive devices (IED), and other missions as designated. Dudley is keenly aware that "IEDs are the greatest threat to our service members in theater.” Combat experience and fatherhood have matured Dudley in ways he never expected. His daughter, Keira, was born almost a year ago. His son, Tyler, will celebrate his fourth birthday during the deployment. "I discovered during my first deployment that the biggest leadership challenge faced was making the transition from a drilling, one-weekend-a-month guardsman to a full-time, active duty Soldier,” Dudley said. At that point, he realized that his calling was to "embrace being a Soldier, and that includes internalizing the Army values,” he said. To that extent, Dudley sees his duties as unit commander and the responsibilities of being a dad providing him with a new and different perspective on this deployment, crystallizing in his mind what his role must be. "I am more sensitive and attuned to the needs of both my family and my unit, which is really my extended family,” explained Dudley. He knows that communication between and among Soldiers, as well as with family, is critical to mission success. "Everybody has to be on the same page, in the field and with those at home, so that we know that the emotional and operational support is always present,” he said. Besides making certain that his troops are properly equipped and well fed, Dudley knows that his absence will impact the development of his young children. "I want my kids to see someone who serves something bigger than themselves; and that someday when they are old enough to recognize the example I hope to have given them that they would be able to say ‘That’s my Dad!’” Volumes have been written about the privileges and burdens of command and the contributions made toward mission success. Dudley cites the motto of another military specialty, the search and rescue community, who claim "we do this so that others may live.” He defines his mission’s success on this deployment as "saving lives, and then coming home with all of my Soldiers intact.” Addressing the family members, friends, fellow Soldiers, and well-wishers who arrived at the armory in Coolidge before the unit deployed, Dudley confidently reassured all present that he and his troops would "Persevere and safely return.”
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course
 By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith,
  38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise
 By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry,
  Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska
 By 156th Wing
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 5 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 12 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 13 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil