JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Chief Warrant Officer 4 Pamela Vitt was appointed as the command chief warrant officer for the Alaska Army National Guard effective Sept. 1, bringing with her vast experience and 25 years of military service.
As the command chief warrant officer, Vitt’s new duties will consist of everything from interviewing and boarding new warrant officer candidates and accepting interstate and active duty transfers to mentoring and continually educating all Alaska Army National Guard warrants.
Learning the administrative portion and making touch decisions that will not please everyone all the time are a few trials Vitt has already identified that will need to be overcome.
“There are other challenges that I have yet to learn about – I’m sure there will be many,” affirmed Vitt.
But she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience into the new position.
Vitt commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in 1990 after graduating from Colorado State University with her Bachelor of Science degree in natural resource management. During her six years of active-duty service she served as a platoon leader and executive officer for U.S. Army Alaska’s 23rd Aviation Intermediate Maintenance at Ft. Wainwright.
Vitt transferred to the Alaska Army National Guard, converting to a chief warrant officer 2 in 1997.
“I joined the Guard because I was leaving active duty to remain in Alaska and wanted to continue my military career,” explained Vitt. “I switched to warrant officer because I wanted to continue flying an aircraft, not sit at a desk.”
She began her National Guard career by flying the UH-1 Huey helicopter as a maintenance pilot, switching to the UH-60 Black Hawk in 1998. Notably, Vitt served as both company and battalion aviation safety officer for the past seven years and deployed to Kosovo in 2003 and 2008 supporting peace keeping and peace enforcement missions.
“No matter what job I was assigned, I’ve always given my all to it,” said Vitt. “Even when it wasn’t the most pleasant or recognized position.”
Vitt served as the rear detachment officer for B Company, 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, during a time of great sadness, when four Alaska Guardsmen were killed while supporting Operation Iraqi freedom in a UH-60 Black Hawk crash in 2006. The deaths were the first Alaska Army National Guard combat deaths since World War II.
“My duty as the rear detachment officer for B Company reiterated how absolutely important it was to make taking care of Soldiers the number one priority, always, no matter what,” affirmed Vitt. “That was a tough deployment for them in Iraq, as well as for their families here at home, and I tried my best to assist both while keeping that priority my goal.”
Vitt’s priorities tie into her family’s strong military ties. Her brother is an Alaska Air National Guard C-130 pilot and she recently had the opportunity to enlist her son into the U.S. Army as an M-1 armor crewman in May.
“I am very proud of my son Derek,” explained Vitt. “The decision to enlist was all his; there was no pressure one way or another from me.”
Vitt would love to see her son pursue aviation, but she is leaving the decision to him. She supports whatever avenue her three children want to pursue, military or not. When not in the office Vitt can be found enjoying the great outdoors of Alaska – camping, canoeing, biking and hiking with her daughter, Theresa, or dabbling in science competitions with her son Ian.
“Whatever activities my kids are in at the moment, that is where you’ll find me,” added Vitt. “I also like taking random classes at the Mat-Su campus and am currently enrolled in Introduction to Sustainable Energy.”
Vitt is most looking forward to learning the jobs of other technical warrants and personally getting to know the individuals and how they can all benefit each other as warrants.
“I am very honored to be chosen for this role and thankful for the opportunity,” concluded Vitt. “I look forward to serving my fellow warrants and representing the great state of Alaska.”
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