 | Distinguished Hoosier Recognized Again
(August 18, 2008) | 
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Command
Sergeant Major John R. VanNatta |
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The March 2006 recipient of
the Distinguished Hoosier Award, John R.
VanNatta, was recently recognized for his
service to the United States Military at a
ceremony at Bagram Air Force Base in
Afghanistan.
Command Sergeant Major VanNatta has served as
the Director of Detainee Operations in
Afghanistan for over two years. His
responsibilities include oversight and
development of doctrine and training programs to
train the Afghanistan Army in prison and
detention operations.
His efforts lead to the
remodeling of several prisons and the training
of selected Afghan soldiers and their leaders in
prison management and detention operations.
His work resulted in the
creation of a highly trained military unit
capable of operating prisons that meet
internationally accepted standards. This unit is
recognized as a model for prison operations in
Afghanistan and elsewhere.
On July 28, 2008 U.S. military
leaders flew into Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan
and presented the Legion of Merit medal
(description below) to John VanNatta. |
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Participating in the ceremony were
Major General James Hasbargen (photo right),
Commander Army Reserve Medical Command, Major
General William Monk III, Commander 99th
Regional Readiness Command, Major General Randy
Mosley, Montana Adjutant General, and Brigadier
General James Payne, former Commander 300th
Military Police Brigade.
Also present were
soldiers from the Active Army, Army Reserve, and
National Guard representing the many soldiers
Command Sergeant Major VanNatta lead over thirty-three
years of military service.
Command Sergeant Major VanNatta has a long
tradition of service to the country. His father Ralph M.
VanNatta was a veteran of both World War I and World War II.
His brother Ralph W. VanNatta of Shelbyville, Indiana, is a
combat veteran of the Korean War, and his brother Royal
served in combat in Vietnam. John’s sister Jacquie and his
daughter Windy served in the Air Force, and his son Austin
was in the Army.
John enlisted in the Army at age seventeen
and by his eighteenth birthday had been promoted to Sergeant
and received his first combat patch. His military service spanned over thirty-three years. He
held numerous key positions around the world. |
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In 2002-2003 he
was the Superintendent of the terrorist detention facility
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There he designed supervised
construction of several state-of-art
facilities, namely Camp Delta, to house and maintain over
680 terrorists from forty-four
different countries. CSM VanNatta was personally requested
by name to visit Iraq twice to consult on prison operations
there. Following this tour of duty the Secretary of Defense
awarded VanNatta the Defense Superior Service Medal.
John VanNatta’s civilian career is
equally impressive. He started in education teaching at the
high school level and taught at the university level in
Indiana. He entered law enforcement in Edinburg, Texas, and
was promoted up through the ranks. He started his career
with the Indiana Department of Corrections as the Assistant
Chief of Internal Affairs. He served in various key
leadership positions and earned both his Masters and
Doctorate degrees in prison operations. He served as
superintendent for several prisons in Indiana, most recently
as the superintendent of one of Indiana’s largest prisons
located in Miami County, Indiana. In 1979 Mr. VanNatta was
presented the Governors Commendation by then Governor Otis
Bowen. In 1991 he received the state wide Employee of the
Month award from former Governor Evan Bayh, and then in
March 2006 Mr. VanNatta was presented the Distinguished
Hoosier Award by Governor Mitch Daniels for his exceptional
service to the state of Indiana and the Department of
Corrections.
Currently Mr. VanNatta is
still servicing our country overseas in the War
on Terror. He is with MPRI serving in
Afghanistan. Mr. VanNatta is the Director of
Detainee Operations for the United State
Government in Afghanistan. In his current role
he works directly with the United States
Military, Department of Defense, and Department
of State, and with the Afghanistan Ministry of
Defense and Ministry of Justice and the Afghan
military. He designed and implemented an
extensive training program for the Afghan
military in prison operations that enables them
to operate prisons that met international
standards. Their operation is now the benchmark
for all prisons both military and civilian in
the country.
 Mr. VanNatta intends to
return to Indiana when this mission for the
government is completed. This Distinguished
Hoosier hopes to continue to serve the citizens
of Indiana while enjoying Indiana countryside.
The
Legion of
Merit (photo left) is
one of the United States military’s most
prestigious awards.
It is one of only three United States decorations to be issued as a neck award (worn around the neck), or worn pinned. The others are the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Presidents Medal of Freedom.
It is awarded for exceptionally outstanding service in performance of meritorious service to the United States. The performance must merit recognition by individuals in a key position which was performed in a clearly exceptional manner.
The Legion of Merit is worn after the Defense Superior Service Medal and before the Distinguished Flying Cross. | |
By
Jim VanNatta
Copyright 2008
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