Photo by Alex McVeigh Sgt. Cody Krikstan

Q: Describe your job.
A: Basically just assisting the director of military personnel in whatever they need.

Q: How does this assignment differ from other ones you’ve had?
A: I’m coming from Fort Hood [Texas], where I did two deployments.

It’s a very different environment here, and I’m very satisfied with the change. It’s more of a professional-style environment. It’s more relaxed. At Fort Hood, everyone is either coming from or going to deployments.

I hope to be able to stay here. I’ve been here five months. I was born and raised in Charles County, Maryland, so this is home for me.

Q: How did you come into this position?
A: I was stop-lossed, and before I was going to get out of the Army, they offered me this position. It was too good to pass up.

I thought about getting out before, but now I’m thinking about making this my career.

I’d like to stay in this area, I got tired of being deployed, being away from home.

Q: What do you like best about the job?
A: I’m one of the lowest ranked people in the office, but I’m allowed to take initiative to get my job done. Everyone has their own assignments, they do their own thing, as long as it gets done.

Working in a joint office is nice, we have a good group there. There’s a lot of very supportive people, and I have no complaints.

Q: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
A: I do some landscaping on the side around this area. The money is good, and there’s usually plenty of work. I also pressure-wash houses on the weekends.

Besides those, I like to fish and work out at the gym.

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t in the Army?
A: I don’t really know. I was getting into trouble before I joined, and I really think the Army helped straighten me out.

I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life before I joined, but now I think I want to stick around.

Q: What did you learn during your deployments?
A: It was stressful being deployed, no matter what we were doing, simply because of where we were. But it made me thankful to be an American.

There’s a lot that gets taken for granted when you’re surrounded by it every day. Being away from home for so long makes you really appreciate the way of life around here a lot more.