OmahaNebraska.com Interview with 1st Sgt. Jason Schiermeyer
Please tell me what you do and how you got here.
So, currently a part of the 72nd Civil Support team, we’re a HAZMAT unit that assists local first responders in all sorts of responses ranging from chemical, biological, radiological, and even some explosive stuff, some precursors for that, just to help them contain the situation, identify what’s there, assist them in any follow-on actions to get rid of it. We don’t ever take over a scene; we just assist them.
We want to make sure that the National Guard plays a pivotal role with the local first responders using some of the equipment that we have that they might not be able to afford or have access to. We have a wide range of very expensive, very dependable devices to be able to help them do that quickly for public safety and make sure that the public can return to an area or feel safe in an area that we’re working in.
What’s some of the special gear that they might need to borrow?
Some of the special gear that we have…so it starts with our being able to protect our skin and our lungs down range, so we typically go down in some sort of hazmat suit that will help block elements of harm, whether that’s chemical or biological, from being able to affect us physiologically. And when we do that, we’re going to be limited on air, so we have to have some sort of breathing apparatus to be able to maintain that breathing while we’re down range, trying to figure out what’s going on. And then when we’re down there, we carry a multitude of different devices to be able to see if there’s something there or not there, or if it is there, what it is. So we usually take down the technology from every section that we have to at least see if there’s a presence there. So whether it’s chemical, like a chemical detector, a biological detector, or a radiological detector, even like pH paper like little paper stuff, just to see if there’s something there. So that’s our first thing is just, Is there something there? Is there something not there? And then if there is, then we have lots of other equipment that we can bring and help us identify it. Basically, we make the area as safe as possible for the public, really.
Thank you. Please tell us about the National Guard.
So, I’ve been in the National Guard for I believe around 30 years. I started with the Army Reserves and then went over to the National Guard about 10 years later. So I’ve had the opportunity to be able to go across several different units. Started out as a ground surveillance reconnaissance doing ManTech radar systems, remote battlefield sensory systems. Then I was a military policeman for a long time, and then chemical, then back to military police and back to chemical.So, what I saw over those 30 years is I’ve seen a lot of different range of civilian soldiers come through. A lot of them joined for tuition assistance, schooling, and stuff like that, to be able to better themselves and not have that debt when they get out of school. Some of them just love the patriotism of wanting to serve. That’s what I did, and there’s obviously benefits that come with that.There’s also…you saw an uptick after 9/11. Anytime something bad happens to this country, we have a lot of people that want to help defend our homeland, so you’ll see an uptick in the people just showing that patriotism.But the Guard offers another family away from your family as well. I mean, I think you when you depend on somebody as close…in either the situation like we have, whether it’s a chemical environment or somebody going overseas, you have to depend on that person to for your livelihood and your safety. So, you draw really tight bonds. And once you’re in the Guard, a lot of people tend to stay in the Guard because of that—because that might not be something they get from their normal family, unfortunately. But yeah, there’s tons of opportunities in the Guard.
It doesn’t take a whole lot of time away from your normal life. You can still have a whole other life, a civilian career, school on top of it. So, don’t think that just because you go to the Guard, that means you need to stop everything else. It just adds another element to your life that really makes you a better person I think in a lot of ways—professionally, disciplinary-wise, and stuff like that.
Thank you. And why Army?
My brother’s Navy. My sister was Army. The job opportunity that I had in the Army was what I wanted to do for me, personally. I think there’s great stuff out there for anybody that has the propensity to serve. It doesn’t matter what branch you go into, whether it’s Army, Navy, Air Force Branch, Air Force Coast Guard, you should find pride in what you’re serving for. And if it’s got a job that you like, that you can love and continue, go for it.
So, obviously, we want people to come to the Army because we think we have the coolest stuff. We have the biggest staff, but we actually have more airframes than the Air Force, believe it or not. Both my kids are in the Guard. My daughter, she does logistics. She’s kind of full-time in the state, temporary full-time in the state doing that. My son is full-time temporary; he does funeral honors, so honoring our past fallen members and stuff like that. But he also works on Black Hawks and does the aviation stuff as well. So there’s just a lot of different things you can do. And then, if it’s not for you, you can find something else. But with the Army being the largest element, there’s a ton of options to be able to find stuff that you love.
Thank you.
