"I loved my Army career. It offered me a number of opportunities around the world, gave me valuable experiences, and allowed me to serve my Country."
My name is Nathan Reiney and I am a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S Army. I joined the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1991 after graduating from the United States Military Academy, at West Point, NY. The Army was a good path for me and I enjoyed my time throughout my 21 years of service. I deployed twice to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I first deployed for 30 days in support of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in 2003. My job as an Engineer Officer was to make improvements to our basecamp to sustain combat operations. I was again deployed to Iraq in 2007 for 12 months as a Senior Advisor to the Iraqi Security Forces. This involved patrolling the northwest Syrian border to reduce the illegal movement of goods and people from Syria to Iraq. This was a unique and challenging opportunity to work with Iraqi forces who were very different from my team in culture, mindset, experiences, and purpose. Despite being deployed late in my career, my second deployment to Iraq truly taught me the value of leadership. A team cannot not be a group of individuals, but a cohesive unit that functions as one. A leader's job is to develop this teamwork. My final thought is that Americans should feel grateful that their are Soldiers that are on the front line of our nation's defense. People may not always agree with the national politics and policies that require the use of military forces, but they should never stop supporting the brave men and women who enforce these decisions. I loved my Army career. It offered me a number of opportunities around the world, gave me valuable experiences, and allowed me to serve my Country.
