Citizens Help Citizen Soldiers
Story and Photos by SPC Charles Ames - Posted Sep, 1998
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The Yakima Training Center is one of the Army's largest training areas. Located just outside the small town of Selah in Central Washington, it is an ideal maneuver training area for armored forces, which we just happen to have plenty of here in Washington. It falls under the jurisdiction of the active duty folks from Fort Lewis, but the majority of training that goes on here is done by the Washington Army National Guard. At first glance YTC looks like any other training post - row after row of "no-frills" barracks, a gymnasium, a helipad, a parade ground... and lots and lots of open space! But if you look closer you may double-take to see a young man with a very long pony-tail emerge from one of the barracks that thousands of soldiers throughout the year temporarily call ‘home’.
Tony Walker is part of a team of civilians contracted to work at, among other places, YTC's mess halls. Today he works with his frequent partner Clayton Galvin. The two have the unenviable job of working in the "scullery", a pre-cleaning station through which every tray, bowl, knife, fork and spoon must pass on its way to being cleaned and sterilized. If it were not for their efforts the soldiers that train at YTC would be stuck pulling "KP" instead of training.
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Tony smiles broadly as he power-sprays a giant pan. "I like it because it’s easy! Usually it’s pretty fun. The people are nice and the cooks are great!" Then Tony gets to the highs and lows. "I like the pay, particularly when I get a lot of overtime, but we have to be up here at 5:00 AM!" For most of the civilian employees here at YTC pay actually seems to be an afterthought. The work atmosphere here is that of an extended family. Units come and go almost daily. For the soldiers the pace is often frantic. But for the contracted employees it's just business as usual.
One of the most popular places on the training center is the Post Exchange. After a week of MRE's in the desert the chance to visit this oasis of Pepsi and Fig Newtons can be the high point of a soldiers stay here! Sarah Lancaster has worked at this small PX for nearly three years. She has lived in Yakima most of her life and is married to an Army National Guard Master Sergeant assigned to the Guard's Chemical Battalion headquartered in Yakima.
"Trying to keep everything in the store stocked and presentable can be trying. We get a lot of troops in here... Guardsmen and regular Army from all over the country all at once. It can be kind of difficult sometimes to keep merchandise out and help customers at the same time!", she admits with a laugh. "But, generally, most of the customers are very appreciative... and they let us know." Sarah's customers have included soldiers from Canada, Guam, Britain, Scotland and even Japan.`
Sonja Kirkham is also married to a Guardsman. Her husband works as a full-time mechanic at the Mobilization and Training Equipment Site (MATES) located on the training center. She has worked at the PX with Sarah for the last year. Speaking of the solders that train at YTC, "They’re great to work with; challenging, time-consuming at times… you need patience... lots of patience."
Bill Hubbard has the distinction of being YTC's first and current barber. No doubt he's seen a lot of heads in his 20 years here. "I’ve always been a great believer in the National Guard. My brother was a Guardsman and was in the first unit to see combat in WWII. I enjoy talking with the Guardsmen. I go way back with some of them. I've seen some come into my shop the first time as privates and now they're a Sergeant Major or a Captain!" Bill is himself a veteran of WWII and Korea. He played clarinet first in the Navy Band, and then 'jumped ship' to the Army Band. He also plays piccolo and sax.
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Bill is still very active musically. He is a member of the 54-piece "Yakima Valley Community Band" which will tour England and Scotland this July. He's also the Musical Director of his own 14-piece band, "The New Valley Sounds", that plays ‘big band’ in a nearby park during the Summer. Sooner or later everyone needs that fresh military haircut, and Bill's air-conditioned shop is a welcome refuge from the Summer heat. All types of music may be heard here; sometimes classical, sometimes Dixie, sometimes swing. It all comes together to make that occasionally long wait a pleasurable one.
Back in the mess hall, Clayton Galvin and Tony Walker prepare for yet another meal. Clayton has worked at YTC's mess halls for 3 years. "It’s almost like a family. I've met some of the most unique people doing this. That’s probably why I do it." The schedule at the training center can be somewhat 'feast or famine' changing from weeks of overtime to stretches of several days with nothing to do. Of course the big show is working the National Guard Annual Training each summer. When Clayton gets a stretch of time off he generally goes fishing.
With the downsizing of the military, more and more jobs are being contracted to the private sector and YTC is no exception. This article has shown you only a handful of these hard working and dedicated people, without whom the Guard could not do its job. From Range Control, to the maintenance crew at the MPRC, to the people who keep the gym up and running, it's a long-standing relationship that works for everyone.
So to all of the Guardsmen who spend two grueling weeks each Summer at the Yakima Training Center, please remember to thank these very special people that really make it all possible. Imagine receiving the thanks of the more than 3,000 Guardsmen that attended Annual Training 1999!
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