Signal students kayak for trash

Courtesy Photo Students from the 442nd Signal Battalion Signal Captains Career Course navigate the waters of the Broad River during a service project. Like many other students training here on Fort Gordon, the students of the Signal Captains Career Course (SCCC) make a permanent change of station (PCS) move when assigned to Charlie Company, 442d Signal Battalion for their five month course. For most, it is barely enough time to get the Family moved in, the home reestablished and the change of address completed before moving on to their next duty station. Even with all the academic requirements while attending school coupled with the challenges of balancing their personal lives on a daily basis, it is amazing how quickly friendships are forged and memories are made.

The SCCC class 007-09, which started mid June and is edging closer toward graduation on Nov. 4, was presented with an opportunity to conduct a community service project – and given the latitude to develop a project within the class. It is not unusual for a group of Soldiers that share difficulties together (in this case the SCCC) to develop a fun-loving yet borderline hostile demeanor towards one another, and so the class loudly debated over the usual suspects when considering community service work. Examples included volunteering at a soup kitchen, working with Habitat for Humanity or working as volunteer vendors at a local high school football game….all great courses of action. A small group of Captains had already been planning a kayaking trip and decided they could get the entire class involved in a challenging outdoor activity and make it even more rewarding by cleaning up the river along the way as they paddled. They received “buy-in” from a strong majority of the class, and the plan, coined “Operation Deliverance,” was approved by the chain of command.

When asked about the project, Lt. Col. Edward Buck, 442nd Signal Battalion commander said, “The 442nd Signal Battalion is excited about our community service initiatives. Volunteer projects like this that make small, but lasting contributions are an important aspect of leader development. Coupling the effort to remove trash from the Broad River with the excitement of kayaking with friends is a great way to reciprocate the support we receive from our local community.” Buck, who has prior experience kayaking, brought his seven year old son Forrest along for the trip and together they conquered the river and helped out the class by picking up their fair share of the trash along the way.

“Operation Deliverance” called for the area beautification of a highly trafficked section of the Broad River about 25 miles Northeast of Athens, Ga. The river is a college student favorite for outdoor recreation in the area and is hit hard during the summer months by students and adventurers that flock to the river to cool off and enjoy a few adult beverages. Some members of the class had navigated the river earlier in the year and commented on the amount of trash, mostly beer cans, which littered the scenic waterway. “I highly recommend kayaking the river, but from the first time I made the trip, there was something disturbing about the amount of trash that was on the banks” said Capt. Jerome Johnston who also acted as the range safety officer for the class project.

Weather is an important consideration during any operation, and there was some serious concern during the final planning stages about the amount of rain that was falling and the flooding that was being reported in that part of the state. “Once we crossed the bridge I saw how fast that big brown river was really moving….I knew I was getting wet” said Capt. Paul Lee, who joked later about spending quite a bit of time in the water from flipping his kayak on multiple occasions. About 30 members from the class carpooled to the Sandbar Kayaking Outfitter where they were issued a personal floatation device and a paddle, then were ferried by a miniature bus upriver to the embarkation point. The class broke down into smaller teams and armed only with a paddle and a trash bag, entered the river to begin the six mile journey down the roaring river back to the outfitter. “I may not remember how to plan the entire voice and data network for an Expeditionary Signal Battalion (ESB) five years down the road, but this trip will stand out above all the other memories when I reflect back on my SCCC experience,” commented Capt. Jason King while he paddled around a nasty rock set in one of the more shallow sections of the river.

Although it was raining, the water and the weather were warm making for a tolerable, if not pleasantly soaked experience. Even those that seemed to be getting dunked in the river around every bend or over every waterfall always emerged with a wet smiling face. In the end, because the water level was so far up, the class didn’t collect as much trash as they had intended, but all of the participants in “Operation Deliverance” felt that they had played a little part in contributing to the community. Everyone said their goodbyes after a short after action review, and motored safely back home a little tired, a little wet, and a little bit more appreciative of the natural beauty and power of Mother Nature.