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CAMP KONOTOP, Poland -- I am an American Soldier. I am a warrior
and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and
live the Army Values. These phrases are the core of the Creed of the
American Soldier. They are one of the first things a basic combat
trainee learns, and are repeated often in the hopes these words
become part of the individual.
For a few Soldiers, these
words take on a meaning that drives their actions on a daily basis.
One such Soldier is Spc. Anthony D. Nicastro, a M1A2 Abrams Main
Battle Tank gunner assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th
Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division.
His tank commander, Staff Sgt. Douglas Stephens
said he never has to worry about Nicastro slacking off on any task
assigned to him, and that he stands apart from the rest of his peers
by consistently striving to step up to the plate when the need
arises.
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U.S. Army Spc. Anthony D. Nicastro, a M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank gunner assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, reviews the maintenance check list for his assigned tank May 21, 2015 at the Bucierz Range Complex near Camp Konotop, Poland, while supporting Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing multinational partnership focused on joint training and security cooperation between NATO allies. (Image
created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Brandon
Anderson)
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“He does everything he knows needs to be done, and if
there's something he doesn't know, he'll ask questions,”
said Stephens. “He's constantly looking for ways to get
better at his tasks, and takes charge without having to be
directed to do so.”
His naturally upbeat personality
and self-effacing humor are just some of the things his
chain of command thinks makes him such a great Soldier.
“He's always got a smile on his face, and when you're
around him his enthusiasm wears off on you,” said Staff Sgt.
Brian Klinkiewicz, a tank commander assigned to Company D.
“Wherever he goes people can't help but be affected by it.”
Being a tanker often requires long hours in a field
training environment to ensure job proficiency. Soldiers get
worn out towards the end of an exercise, but Nicastro's
positive attitude is contagious amongst his peers.
“He brings up the morale of his Soldiers, and is always
ready to accomplish his mission,” said Klinkewicz. “His
mentality is incredibly motivating, so he brings everyone
else along with him.”
Because of these qualities,
Stephens said Nicastro has naturally taken on a greater
level of responsibility more consistent of a Soldier with a
higher rank.
“I think he has the potential be a good
noncommissioned officer one day,” said Stephens. “He already
acts like one, and because of that everyone treats him like
one.”
According to Stephens, it's the things he does
on regular basis that makes even his peers give him the
respect he receives.
“He's very knowledgeable and
confident with how he handles his job, and all the other
Soldiers in the platoon see it, so they treat him with a
different level of respect,” said Stephens.
In his
position of tank gunner, Nicastro's daily scope of
responsibilities include making sure his tank is getting the
proper maintenance it requires, as well as the safety and
well being of his Soldiers.
Nicastro said he just
enjoys doing his job, and that's what drives him.
“I
like being able to learn new things with my job,” said
Nicastro. “This tank is an amazing piece of machinery that
has the potential to do a lot of damage, so having the
opportunity to be able to do all of these things is fun.”
He said doing his job here in Poland brings a whole
different set of challenges, as the terrain and battle
positions are unlike what he's used to training in at Fort
Stewart, Georgia.
“Here in Poland there's a lot of
berms, so I have to know when to fire and when not to,” said
Nicastro. “These particular tanks are new to me, and because
of that, I get know how these tanks operate differently than
the ones I'm used to.”
He said being here has been
beneficial for him in a cultural sense as well.
“People have been building here for a lot longer than they
have in America, so when we go into town I like seeing the
architecture,” said Nicastro.
Nicastro said he's
looking forward to Puma 15, a joint training exercise
between the Polish, French and American military.
The exercise is part of Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing
multinational partnership focused on joint training and
security cooperation between NATO allies.
“I'd like
to get a better understanding of how different countries'
militaries use their tactics compared to ours,” said
Nicastro. “Having the knowledge of how these countries
operate will make me a better tanker overall.”
By U.S. Army Sgt. Brandon Anderson
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
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