Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Stephen Messenger talks with Assistant Chief of Army Reserve Stephen D. Austin about the Army Reserve, Fort McCoy, the Army, and so much more in this podcast from May 2023. Austin visited Fort McCoy on May 10 as part of an official visit to U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy. According to his biography, “Austin was selected for the Senior Executive Service in June 2007. He became the Assistant Chief of Army Reserve (ACAR) on Oct. 4, 2015. He serves as the primary advisor to the Chief of Army Reserve within Headquarters, Department of the Army. He represents the Army Reserve in the formulation and synchronization of policy and strategy at the national, departmental, and service levels,” the biography states. “He provides oversight to the Chief of Army Reserve’s staff and directs the development of policy, resourcing, and plans for generating, sustaining, and integrating Army Reserve force capabilities in support of the nation.” (Army Podcast created by Greg Mason/Fort McCoy Multi-Media-Visual Information Office)

In the Behind the Triad Podcast Series, Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Colonel Steve Messenger discusses different aspects of leadership with a wide variety of leaders from both on and off the installation.

In the second episode, Fort McCoy Garrison Command Sergeant Major Raquel DiDomenico talks about her 24 years of service in the United States Army and United States Army Reserve.

Prior to her selection as the Fort McCoy Garrison CSM, the Grosse Point, MI native served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Deputy Commanding General of the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence in Fort Leonard Wood, MO.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security from the University of Management & Technology, Arlington, Va. Her military education includes Distributed Learning Course (DLC) Level 6, Sergeants Major Course, Joint Engineer Operations Course, Foundation Training Developer, Intermediate Facilitation Skills, Foundation Instructor Facilitator, Army Training Requirements and Resource System (ATRRS) Operator, Faculty Development Program, Master Leader Course, Master Resilience Trainer, Operations Security (OPSEC) Level 2, Casualty Assistance & Notification, Structured Self Development (SSD) Level 4 (12B Senior Leader Course), 12C Basic Non-commissioned Officer Course (BNCOC), Common Core BNCOC, Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC), Battle Staff, Company Trainer Course, Reserve Component Mobilization Planner, Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Certifying Official, Voting Assistance Officer, Mail Manager, SINCGARS, Combat Lifesaver, Duty Appointed Retention NCO, and One Station Unit Training (OSUT) Bridge Crewmember.

DiDomenico’s previous assignments include United States Army Engineer School Deputy Assistant Commandant – Reserve Component Sergeant Major; Battle Staff Instructor and Operations NCOIC at the Fort McCoy NCO Academy; AGR First Sergeant for the 374th Sapper Company; and Operations Sergeant for the 389th Engineer Battalion, 401st Engineer Company (MRB), and 652nd Engineer Company (MRB).

She deployed with the 401st Engineer Company (MRB) to Iraq in 2009 and also mobilized with Alpha Company Medical Hold as a Platoon Sergeant and Departures NCO at Fort McCoy, Wis. in 2004.

Her awards and decorations include the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal (5th award), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Out-standing Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 20-year and M devices, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 5, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the Bronze de Fleury Medal, and the Senior Leader Course Commandant’s Award.

CSM DiDomenico’s affiliations include Lifetime Memberships with VFW Post #5789, Society of American Military Engineers, and Army Engineer Association. She also served as the President (2 years) and Secretary (1 year) of the Fort Leonard Wood Sergeants Major Association.

(Audio recording and editing by Greg Mason, Fort McCoy MVI)

In the Behind the Triad Podcast Series, Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Colonel Steve Messenger discusses different aspects of leadership with a wide variety of leaders from both on and off the installation. In this first episode, the president of Viterbo University out of La Crosse, Wis., Dr. Rick Trietley visits Fort McCoy for a in depth discussion of the differences and similarities of leadership styles between military and civilian environments. Dr. Trietley is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, with a combat deployment in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division.

(Audio recording and editing by Greg Mason, Fort McCoy MVI)