Nineteen

If any of you read the News Journal, you'll see an article about me and Communication Corps in section A. I knew the article was coming and I was interviewed by Mike Chalmers a few days ago. I also knew the general setting of the article(s) that would be written. The News Journal was interested in what Delaware was doing with State Homeland Security Grant Program money. For those of you that haven't seen the article, below is a link to the web edition:

http://www.newsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS/705060355

The article can be read in two different ways. For those of you that know me and what my program does, you can see it as more press for Comm Corps, and a nice picture of me in the States largest newspaper. If you don't know me, and have just read the other three or four articles bordering the Communication Corps article, you might say "Who the heck decided to let a 19 year old run this program?!?" I'd like to take some time to post a response to what was written.

First of all, I'm a bit disappointed at the angle that the article was written at.

"19-year-old heads state's ham radio emergency corps"

"Del. ham radio response effort is led by 19-year-old"

In the context of the surrounding stories in the series "Cashing In: Delaware's Homeland Security Spending Spree", this title might lead you to believe that we are wasting money to pay a 19 year old to run a program. The article talks about what I do on my spare time and what my goals for the program are. For the record, I don't watch cartoons on my spare time, and the Space Ghost cartoon (which is actually somewhat entertaining on a sparingly basis) was found by the News Journal in my YouTube favorite videos section. Either way, I'm really not sure that my age should be such an important focus point to my job especially if I'm doing a good job doing it. I'm also not sure that the activities during my spare time would be such an issue if I was 35 years old instead of 19. Hey, there's only so much space to write an article and I can understand the reasoning they didn't write a book on me, but I think that explaining the reason that I'm in this position may be a little more important than talking about my leisure activities.

The article makes no mention of what my program has been able to accomplish over the past year of its existence, nor any of my qualifications to be in such a position. During the interview I did mention what we've done, and that I was chosen by leaders in the volunteer communications field to coordinate these efforts. Communication Corps is a new concept and we had to start somewhere. A 19 year old with his entire summer off and that has experience in radio and computers with a desire to get something done sounds like a good fit to the Communication Corps program to me. The article seems to suggest that we need someone older, with more experience in the position rather than someone who is "mature for their age". Well what are we looking for?

So what are the nation's (yes realize that my paycheck comes from DHS funds not the state's) taxpayers getting for $5,000? Over the past summer, I've accomplished a lot for Communication Corps. I've briefed just about every amateur radio club in the State to recruit people to get involved in serving their community. I've helped to design a standardized radio package for each EOC, Hospital, and Mobile Command Post (which they also talk about in this series). I've helped to develop net plans, operational guides, and promotional/public relations material for Communication Corps. I've developed the Communication Corps and Citizen Corps web pages myself, and update them regularly. Best of all I did it extremely under budget (five dollars instead of about 500) using interactive Google web services. The list continues on and on. How about the activities that aren't even related to Communication Corps? I'm writing a State Communications Resource Guide right now to help the communications exercise committee figure out what type of communications equipment they have in the State. That's all volunteer! How about my position in the Delaware Incident Management Team? Once again, volunteer. Position of being the ARES Section Emergency Coordinator and Army MARS State Training Officer for Delaware? Volunteer. I'm pleased to provide about another 10 hours a month for free to our citizens. Why? I have a dedication to the Communication Corps program, emergency management in Delaware, and providing a service to the community. Yes I know it's unusual for a 19 year old, but I can't make anyone trust me any more than providing a good service.

Blogger Mike Mahaffie used unusual as his exact word during his most recent blog post.
He's right, it is unusual. It's hard seeing a person from the age group of rap music, underage drinking, and tattoos working in the homeland security sector. Why should any one of you in Delaware believe that I'm doing the job that I say I'm doing? Should you trust my judgment during a time of crisis when we need communication support for our first responders? I'm 19, and not much more than that to most people.

Age has been a problem for me ever since I started high school. Instead of being the passive quiet one, I've stepped up to become a leader. I've been successful in it by asking advice from other leaders and for suggestions from people below me. From my first position as a Vice President of both the Sussex Amateur Radio Association in 2005 and the Nanticoke Amateur Radio Club to becoming ARES Section Emergency Coordinator to organizing Field Days and hamfests up to today with this article, I've had many folks question my credentials, skills, and ability to do the job because of age. So far, I've done alright. I could go into all that I've been able to accomplish over the past few years, but I won't. I'd rather take the time to thank the people like Bob George, Ed Smith, John Scoggin, Frank Filipkowski, Dave Drew, Pat Ryan, Bill Hardy, Dennis Smith, and others who have been willing to take the risk on this "kid" and have helped me get to where I am today.

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