Region 1 communications manager Dana Braverman sat down with Clay Hunt Fellow Ryan Ginty to get a participant’s perspective on the Clay Hunt Fellows Program.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am an Air Force Security Forces veteran and deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I now coach rugby at the University of Hartford for both men and women as well as a high school team for at-risk youth in Hartford.
What is the Clay Hunt Fellows Program?
The fellowship is a great leadership program sponsored by Team Rubicon in the spirit of Clay Hunt. It’s meant to train and equip members with the skills necessary to be an effective leader downrange, at home, and in your day-to-day life. The CHFP provides future emergency managers with training at Loyola Marymount University, Sigma Six Training, NIMS advanced courses, and the opportunity to participate in a number of different EMA symposiums, among other things.
What motivated you to apply for the fellowship?
Throughout my time at Team Rubicon, I constantly find myself feeling honored to work among the volunteers in this organization. Everyone who puts on a TR shirt makes a promise to the guy or girl next to them that they will work to make the world a better place. The feeling is very cathartic, especially for those veterans who may be dealing with the issues that arise from their military deployments. It’s a feeling of shared purpose, and it is what bonded us together in the military, regardless of what that purpose was.
Team Rubicon reminds me of what it was like to serve with my brothers overseas, and provides a positive outlet for all volunteers. It has helped me find direction and has added direction I have found hard to find in other areas of civilian life.
What is your favorite part of the CHFP?
It’s two really, and I’m going with that because it’s too hard to decide. The bonds I’ve made with the Fellows I have been lucky enough to work with have been deep, and the work has yielded new programs to implement throughout TR Nation. Which brings me to my other favorite part, the Capstone. We are also responsible for developing a Capstone that highlights a need in TR, and we are to develop a program to address that need.
Ginty deployed to the Philippines during Operation: Seabird to provide relief following Typhoon Haiyan.
Tell us about your Capstone project.
My Capstone project stems from Operation: Seabird, the response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. While we were there, we witnessed a serious gap in intelligence and in general situational awareness. For my Capstone I am putting together a working group of subject matter experts from within TR’s ranks to develop and International Reconnaissance and Assessment Team (IRAT). We will provide a framework from which the IRAT will operate with roles and responsibilities for each team member. The idea is that the IRAT will have skilled disaster medical technicians, communications experts, civil affairs, SAR capabilities, and other specialties needed in a disaster zone. The goal of the IRAT is to get eyes on intelligence and channel that back to HQ and other organizations.
Who should apply for CHFP?
If you are serious about TR, and want a good challenge, and have some good ideas, bring them to the table. CHFP is an awesome program that’s only going to get better as the classes grow. The programs staff does a great job facilitating your growth and is there to answer any questions.
APPLY. We need good leaders to step up and take this organization to the top, and you may be that person, but won’t know unless you apply.
For more information and to apply, please visit https://teamrubiconusa.org/
