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***image1***Do not judge her by her size, age or rank – the vital stats are vastly misleading.
At 18, Pfc. Hannah Alojado has only been in the Army for eight months and at her first duty station for three.
The petite, 100-pound paralegal specialist is assigned to the 39th Transportation Battalion but works at the 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. With very little time on the job, but lots of determination, she competed in the 21st TSC’s paralegal of the year competition Sept. 26 and won.
“That’s just the type of person she is. She dedicated herself to winning, and she succeeded. She does not accept defeat, and she gives 110 percent,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dawn Byrnes, chief paralegal at the 21st TSC’s OSJA.
The competition moved seamlessly from a physical fitness test to a four-mile road march in full combat gear carrying a 35-pound rucksack to an M-16 weapons qualification range. Next, a change of gear brought a change of pace. Then, in their Class A uniforms, the Soldiers faced a formal board comprised of a president and four senior paralegal noncommissioned officers from 21st TSC law centers in Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, Stuttgart and the Netherlands.
Then, a 50-question written exam tested the competitors’ paralegal skills in the areas of military justice, operational law, legal assistance, notary public and claims. There were also some questions testing warrior skills such as how to construct a fighting position and first aid.
Private Alojado recounts that while it was the first time she was in front of a board, she liked that part of the competition best.
“My confidence level was pretty high, and I think I just wanted to win more than anyone else. I did the best I could and was confident in my skill level as a warrior and in my knowledge as a paralegal,” she said.
Private Alojado said her minimal job experience made the written test the most difficult part of the competition because she hasn’t been exposed to the various areas paralegals tend to cover during their careers. Nonetheless, she has a message for other junior enlisted Soldiers. A message that reveals another aspect that fuels her determination and drive.
“I wanted to show that you don’t have to be a noncommissioned officer to be a great professional and Soldier. Just because you are a private doesn’t mean you can’t step up to the plate and set an example,” she said.
Sergeant Byrnes said she believes Private Alojado succeeded admirably in her endeavor.
“She is just amazing. She poured her heart out in this competition and set the standard for other Soldiers and NCOs to follow,” Sergeant Byrnes said.
However, Private Alojado is not done. Her next stop is the U.S. Army Europe competition in Heidelberg Oct. 24, which she promises to tackle with the same confidence and motivation.
“I’ll put my game face on and be ready to roll,” she said.
