Honoring Veterans: A Smart City Networks Spotlight 🎖️
This month, Smart City Networks is breaking the mold of our traditional Smart City Spotlight. In celebration of Military Appreciation Month, we’ve been shining a light on our extraordinary veterans who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. They’ve shared their incredible stories, revealing how their military experiences have shaped them as leaders and individuals.
If you missed out on these inspiring social media posts, fret not! Our latest blog post gathers all their captivating narratives in one place. Don’t miss the chance to delve into the powerful journeys of these remarkable Smart City Networks team members.
“I served active-duty Air Force from 1986-1990 working at the 96th Bombardment Maintenance Wing (BMW), in Abilene, Texas, as a Systems Analyst and Data Base Manager on the B-1B Aircraft. As an extra duty, I was the computer equipment custodian and would install computers, modems and multiplexers. Back then, everything was only black, yellow, green, red for cable color with massive printers. I owe the Air Force for getting me into technology and keeping me there for 37 years now.
— Jim Snook
Kelli Bonds – Office Manager
Kelli Bonds embarked on her military journey shortly after graduating high school. Enlisting in the U.S. Army, she underwent training at the now-closed Fort Dix in New Jersey. Her specialized training focused on becoming a lightweight vehicle mechanic, equipping her with the skills to maintain and repair various vehicles, from jeeps and Humvees to deuce and a half trucks.
Following her training, Kelli was assigned to her first duty station in west Germany. Stationed at a remote missile site, her primary responsibility was to defend the U.S. air base located in Spangdahlem. However, due to a medical issue, Kelli’s role shifted, and she was reassigned to her company’s administrative office. In this new capacity, she served as the assistant to the commanding officer and the first sergeant. Additionally, during field training exercises, Kelli took on the role of the first sergeant’s driver, enduring long stretches of driving with minimal rest. Her mechanical skills came in handy when an accident damaged her vehicle, allowing her to repair it and quickly resume operational duties.
Initially intended as a temporary administrative role, Kelli’s competency and dedication led to her assuming the position permanently for the remainder of her military career. The experience was both physically demanding and fulfilling. During her time in Germany, Kelli endured rigorous 24-hour guard duties and faced various challenging situations, creating a bittersweet chapter in her life. After spending two years immersed in the local culture and traveling throughout Europe, she was subsequently stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington for another two years.
At Fort Lewis, Kelli initially resumed her work in the motor pool. However, due to her demonstrated administrative expertise, she was soon relocated to the administrative office, where she provided support to her new commanding officer and first sergeant. Following her honorable discharge from the service, Kelli explored different job opportunities and even pursued a degree in the technology field. Despite these endeavors, she consistently found herself drawn back to the role of an administrative assistant. Kelli discovered joy in assisting and collaborating with others in a supportive capacity. Smart City Networks thanks her for all that she does!
“My time in the service was quite the experience, one that I would definitely do all over again (but would probably choose a different occupation).”
— Kelli Bonds
Arnold Chavez – General Manager
Arnold Chavez is our General Manager for the Duke Energy Convention Center, and is a former naval serviceman with a remarkable ten-year tenure.
Arnold aspired to pursue an officer’s position and explore various fields within the Navy. However, his career prospects were limited due to his recruitment from the Philippines. Although Arnold had been a civil engineer in his home country, his role in the Navy became that of a boiler technician. Serving during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, he earned the classification of a Gulf War Veteran and eventually was granted the opportunity to apply for US citizenship. Back then, military service did not automatically guarantee naturalization.
Arnold’s assignments included serving on the USS Iwo Jima, LPH-2, stationed at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, VA, the USS Worden, CG-18, in Pearl Harbor, and being assigned to onshore duty at the 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego. Upon completing ten years of service and acquiring his US citizenship, Arnold decided to venture into civilian life, taking advantage of his newfound legal status in the United States.
However, due to his educational credentials not being accredited by the US educational system, he could not apply for civil engineering jobs. This prompted him to enroll in networking classes, and the rest is history. While Arnold’s military life wasn’t always easy, he remains grateful to the US Navy for providing him with the opportunity to become an American citizen.
David Bachler – General Manager
David Bachler is our General Manager at the Hawaii Convention Center. David’s insightful and heartfelt perspective resonated deeply with us, prompting us to present his thoughts exactly as he expressed them. In David, we witness the embodiment of leadership, and we extend our sincere gratitude for his invaluable contributions to our company. Smart City Networks is proud to present his essay:
Self is Secondary By David Bachler
Before I share… As a caveat, there is a known axiom within the military of being “the quiet professional”. By extension, sharing about the nature of our service is typically uncommon with those of whom are uninitiated to our culture. This IS and is NOT a factor of trust. The bonds of military members amongst other military members reside somewhere greater than friendship and slightly less-than or equal-to family, sometimes (if you’re lucky) some bonds are greater than family and this is forged through very specific means.
Admittedly, I too am reticent to talk about it. Moreso on principle. It is my belief that to serve and then expect recognition for the service – inherently negatives the nature of service. My service was not conditional on acknowledgment. What I am rather endeavoring to accomplish here is to just paint a picture. To, hopefully, share in the richness of a widely misunderstood and extremely personal experience that has taught me about acceptance, openness and the power of selflessness.
I served only two years. Not long enough to gain any semblance of a seasoned perspective, but just long enough to be indoctrinated to the cultural richness of military doctrine. I was a United States Navy Corpsman. Though my journey to becoming a Corpsman was somewhat indirect. I remember a funny moment in basic training, an instructor was grilling me and asked a pointed question, “Why in God’s name did you join the Navy, recruit?!” I answered in the only way I knew how, honestly, “Because the Marine’s recruiting office was closed that day, Petty Officer.”
“You should have waited, son.” He replied with an air of understanding in his voice. I wish it was a joke, but it was the God’s-honest-truth. Like many people who joined, I saw the military as a way to get out of a home situation that wasn’t working. Personally, looking back now, it was probably just lack of perspective on life and youthful hastiness.
Originally, I enlisted under a Navy SEAL contract – essentially all that means is that I had the opportunity to “try out” for SEAL training. Like many 19-year-old men, I think I had romanticized the idea of being a Navy SEAL and was not at all prepared for the rigors of what it ACTUALLY entailed. I only lasted a couple of months before I realized that I was not ready mentally, nor was my aptitude in the water where it should have been. After I dropped from the SEAL program, I went to reclass (pick a different job). The personnel helping me with my paperwork asked what job I wanted instead. “Whatever doesn’t go on a boat.” I answered. The petty officer looked at me from under their glasses and asked, “You do realize you joined the Navy, right?”
The Navy Corpsman has a very broad mission-set, we are, in essence, the medical corps for both the Navy and Marine Corps. A large component of what Corpsmen were originally designed for were to be combat medics for Marine divisions. If you’ve ever watched the WWII drama The Pacific, and you see someone severely injured in combat and hear them call out “CORPSMAN!” or “CORPSMAN UP!”… that was us. A central theme of how we are trained is to run towards the danger. That mentality definitely stays with a person.
Fun fact: the job of Physician’s Assistant was created by a former Navy Corpsman. It is now widely regarded as one of the most versatile positions within private medicine and one of the most highly sought after.
My tour of service was in a naval hospital at Naval Support Activity, Naples, Italy. It was support to an adjacent international Joint Forces installation.
My exposure to the military and the philosophical substrate was profound to me. To this day, I am still realizing how much I learned from that world. To take a group of strangers from all walks of life, who probably would never cross paths in the “normal” world, give them a common purpose and teach them that personal differences or ideologies will always fall secondary to the primary objective – it was truly a sight to see. What was undeniably impactful was to witness what happened when you strip away what many regard as the “core” of who they thought they were (where they come from, beliefs, upbringing, etc.) and instead show a person who they are right now and what they are capable of within the dynamic of a team. We realized that we are not so very different from each other. We learned that people who are seemingly worlds apart CAN foster care and respect when common purpose is established, that the core of a person is truly found in their ability to think outside themselves, to focus on the good of the team and the well-being of others. When we help each other, we help everyone.
My hope is that the transferable qualities of this experience are obvious. Anyone who has served and who has honestly taken the time to appreciate how it has transformed them can see that the military gives us tools that are forged in a unique microcosm of existence. Some days I wish that the United States would enact a minimum required service, even if only to provide the opportunity to everyone to experience what humanity is capable of. Then I realized… the operative factor for this profundity was born out of the virtue that the journey began voluntarily. Perhaps one cannot force people to open their eyes, they must be willing to lay down who they were for who they will become. People must be willing to believe in what is possible.
In closing, I’ll leave the passersby who might read this with this to ruminate on… the two greatest axiomatic beliefs we espoused in the military (in my opinion) were this:
Lead from the front – by example. There are no bad teams, only bad leaders.
It may sound severe in its rhetoric, but we hear it time and time again throughout history. “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Being a General Manager is one thing, but to lead people… that is an entirely different adventure to undertake, one that challenges me and entices me every day. It is wrought with constant introspection and rich with the glory of what people can truly do for one another when self becomes secondary.
Semper-Charlie-Mike
Always Continue the Mission
Joe Melancon – General Manager
Joe Melancon is a Smart City Networks General Manager who leads his team at the Seattle Convention Center. Joe was in the Army for four years and in that time developed close bonds with his fellow soldiers, who remain some of his closest friends to this day. When asked about a significant moment while serving, Joe discussed his deployment to Saudi Arabia in 1996 after the Dhahran bombings. In his words, they were there to pull guard duty and make sure a second round of attacks didn’t happen.
It taught Joe the importance of trust in his team, no matter the circumstances, which is essential to success. He learned to be supportive and maintain his composure in challenging situations. The meeting and events industry can be chaotic, and it requires a similar level of discipline and camaraderie that’s comparable to the military. As a General Manager, Joe has cultivated strong relationships and a culture of trust within the Seattle Convention Center’s team.
Ken Schmidt – Director, Regional Operations
Ken Schmidt is our Director of Regional Operations for Southwest and Southern California. Smart City Networks thanks Ken for dedicating a commendable 11 years of service to our nation!
Ken’s journey began in 1989 when he joined the Illinois Army National Guard during his junior year of high school. With determined resolve, he navigated Infantry Advanced Training, finding fulfillment in the experience and opting to serve on active duty for four years.
Ken’s tenure took him to diverse locations, including three years in Berlin and one year at Ft Lewis. During the latter part of that year, he was stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he played a crucial role in safeguarding Cuban and Haitian refugees awaiting processing for US citizenship. Following this impactful assignment, Ken continued his service for five more years in the Illinois Guard.
His tenure included a remarkable opportunity to attend Jungle School in Panama, among the final cycles before the United States returned the Panama Canal to Panama. Ken concluded his military journey in 2000, leaving a legacy of dedication and commitment to our country.
“The skills I learned as an Infantryman, while they do not translate directly to too many civilian roles, definitely helped define my work ethic and exposed me to many different styles of leadership. I do my best to combine those styles as my own and be the leader I would want.”
—Ken Schmidt
Gamil Abd-Elmalek – Network Administrator
The military has helped many of our Smart City Networks’ team members advance their careers in IT and Tech, and we are honored to share Gamil Abd-Elmalek’s story! Gamil enlisted in the Nevada Army National Guard while still in high school and began his journey to basic training just days after graduation. Upon returning from training, Gamil began studying and earning various IT certifications while working towards his career in the Technology field. Even while deployed, he continued to gain valuable experience and earn credentials that have helped him excel in his role at Smart City Networks.
As Gamil explains, “I can vouch for the Army providing the experience and opportunity to gain the knowledge and credentials to start my career in IT.” We are grateful for his service and proud of his accomplishments as a member of our team.
Brian Clear – General Manager
I served in the Active Duty Air Force for 10 years and the Air Force Reserves for 6 years. I was a security policeman. My primary duties were essentially the same as a local police officer. I had many roles including Gate sentry, desk sergeant, patrol officer, military working dog handler and investigator.
—Brian Clear
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