LESSONS FROM FORT LIVING ROOM: DISTANCE EDUCATION AT USAWC PT 3

It's time for another episode about the U.S. Army War College's Distance Education program. COL Heather Smigowski, Chair of the Department of Distance Education (DDE), is back in the studio and this time she's brought along two recent grads of the AY21 and AY22 DDE classes. Mark Almond and Dave Paravecchia join Heather and podcast host Ron Granieri to explain what graduating from the distance program has done for them and how it has impacted their careers in the Army. Their conversation focuses on tips and techniques for time management along with the real-time lessons they learned while still working their "day jobs." The only thing I always tell them is that time management is key. Everybody has something going on in their life. You're no different; you just kind of have to own it going into it, and you're gonna have to find balance, and it is a total family effort going in. Mark Almond is a 2022 Distance Education graduate of the U.S. Army War College and a colonel in the U.S. Army. He is a member of the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) currently serving as Deputy United States Property & Fiscal Officer. Mark is the NCNG Strategic Policy and Plans Officer. He lives in Apex, NC with his wife Holly, two children Faith & Hope and two Westies, Liberty and Winter. Dave Paravecchia is a 2021 Distance Education graduate of the U.S. Army War College and a colonel in the U.S. Army. He is currently currently serving as a JLASS Elective Faculty Instructor with the Army War College, Department of Distance Education. He is also a DoD civilian with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. Heather Smigowski is a colonel and an Army Strategist (FA59) and serves as the Chair for the Department of Distance Education, U.S. Army War College. Prior to assuming her current position, she was a Politico-Military Planner and the Executive Assistant for the Deputy Director for Africa, Joint Staff J-5. She holds Master’s Degrees from Clayton College of Natural Health, Regent University, and the U.S. Army War College. In 2015, she received her Doctorate in Organizational Psychology from Capella University. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo Description: A father and son enjoy the commandant's opening remarks at the U.S. Army War College's 2023 Landpower Symposium. Photo Credit: Image by Freepik, Inset courtesy of U.S. Army War College DDE Pt 1 DDE Pt 2 DDE Pt 4