DVIDS – News – Intel Airman’s life from reservation to Air Force Intelligence

At a younger age, most kids within the Sokaogon Chippewa Community obtain their Anishinaabe “original person” title. However, this didn’t occur for Walter Panick. It wasn’t till days prior to him leaving for Air Force Basic Military Training that an elder from one other neighborhood introduced him his title, Ni-Sag-Wen, which implies “down river, downstream.”

U.S. Air Force Walter Panick, thirty sixth Intelligence Squadron Signals Intelligence Training non-commissioned officer-in-cost, remembers receiving his Anishinaabe title as the most important affect of who he’s as we speak.

“Ni-Sag-Wen [down river, downstream] means the protector of all those under him,” mentioned Panick. “Because of my name, the experiences I have lived through, it has been my goal to live up to it and help excel and protect Airmen around me.”

Panick, who has been within the Air Force for nearly 5 years, presently creates and instructs indicators intelligence (SIGINT) coaching for the 36 IS in two mission areas: goal methods evaluation and intermediate goal growth. This coaching is primarily designed for SIGINT Airmen to have the opportunity to produce SIGINT associated remarks of their respective mission areas.

“Mainly, I joined the military to serve something greater than myself and to make my people proud,” Panick mentioned. “I’ve always wanted to serve and represent my people on a greater scale.”

But his job now could be vastly totally different to how he grew up.

Panick grew up within the Sokaogon Chippewa Community Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, which is within the Town of Nashville, in Forest County, Wisconsin. The reservation is southwest of the town of Crandon.

There is presently roughly 500 tribal members that reside on the reservation, with an extra 1,000 members residing off the reservation.

According to the Sokaogon Chippewa Community web site, Sokaogon means “Post in the Lake” folks, due to a religious significance of a publish, presumably the stays of a petrified tree, that stood in close by Post Lake. The Sokaogon Chippewa Community is also referred to as the Lost Tribe as a result of the authorized title to the 12-mile sq. reservation from the treaty of 1854 was misplaced in a shipwreck on Lake Superior.

“The Mole Lake Community has many different aspects to it, but it’s extremely interconnected,” Panick mentioned. “Family is an integral aspect of the community. Growing up, everyone is your family – whether it’s by blood or not.”

Growing up on a reservation is a totally totally different expertise and the one tradition that Panick was uncovered to till he left for BMT. At BMT, Panick would meet folks he by no means thought he would meet in his life, however he cherished studying about their tales and what they consider in.

“There was around 300 total people [when I grew up in the community] – so everyone knew each other,” Panick mentioned. “The holidays, ceremonies and everything in between are very LARGE gatherings of family and friends – and that to me was honestly the best part about living on the reservation.”

Between instances of ceremonies and powwow season, the Sokaogon Chippewa Community sometimes spends time looking and gathering. During the spawning season (early Spring), the neighborhood would go spear fishing.

“At the end of Fall, we have Manoomin (wild rice) season, where we spend months gathering the rice and using it in ceremonies and different food,” mentioned Panick.

Family clans migrated from japanese Canada to Madeline Island a thousand years in the past, led by a imaginative and prescient that their journey would finish in a land the place the “food grows on water” – Manoomin. The Sokaogon Chippewa Community’s journey ended right here on this space of plentiful wild rice. The annual harvest of untamed rice, a vital a part of the tribe’s weight loss plan, has altered little or no within the tons of of years that the Community has lived there, in accordance to the Sokaogon Chippewa Community web site.

Panick’s mom and father nonetheless reside on the reservation, and he always reaches again out to tribal leaders and program leaders to see how he may help or have his inputs utilized by his folks again house.

However, like most Native Americans, throughout his adolescent years, Panick skilled being handled otherwise due to his tradition. He was usually considered as not clever or competent in contrast to different college students round him. But his tradition taught him at a really younger age what it meant to be an total good individual, present respect, and to do issues larger than your self.

“The largest challenge most of the indigenous children deal with growing up is discrimination, no matter how small,” Panick mentioned. “Whether it’s vulgar names, misconceptions, or anything else of the sort.”

Despite the problems, Panick has chosen to be a optimistic function mannequin, signify his folks and keep dedicated to serving one thing larger than himself.

“I used to harbor a lot of anger because of it [challenges/mistreatment],” Panick mentioned. “Growing up and figuring out how to control my emotions – I have become a much more patient person.”

November is Native American Heritage Month, or as it’s generally referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. During this month, it’s a time to have fun wealthy and various cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the necessary contributions of Native folks.

“I can talk about my culture and history any time of the year, but Native American Heritage Month is an outlet for me to able to truly communicate with so many people about who I am, the history of my people and the beliefs we hold,” mentioned Panick. “The most important thing I want people to remember is that Indigenous people/Native Americans are still here. We didn’t disappear. We are still around doing great things, practicing our beliefs, and thriving in any environment we are thrown in.”

Currently in Panick’s household, there are solely a pair who joined the army – a cousin and himself. He has taken the time to speak and mentor many Native American youth from many alternative tribes. Whether it’s the army or faculty, Panick has helped information many youth to attempt for greatness.