Meet DSPO
Part of Area Support Team Balkans is Directorate for Security, Plans and Operations and among the team of five are Dan O’Brien, Interim Director and Burim Vata Contract Specialist. How do you start your day? I arrive in the office around 8 a.m. and meet with Area Support Team, Directorate of Security Plans and Operations personnel and have a daily brief about what is scheduled for the day. I check my email, and depending what I have on the calendar I continue with my routine. How long have you been working here? I arrived to Camp Bondsteel in September 2003 and started as a linguist all the way through April 2011 when I started working as a Contract Specialist for the Area Support Team Balkans. What do you do here at DSPO? I am the Contract Specialist and fulfill multiple other duties as the Telephone Control Officer and SharePoint administrator for AST Balkans, also other additional duties in support of AST DSPO for the Force Protection Contract and other duties associated with physical security. What is the most rewarding part of your job? I would have to say accomplishing my daily duties, doing the right thing and supporting others. Where are you from? I was born and raised in Skopje, FYROM. Married? I’ve been married to my wife Sabiha for 6 years now, and we have two daughters, Bejza who is 5 and Erina who is 2. What do you do in your down time? I try to dedicate as much time as I can in being with my family. If the weather is nice I usually take my family out to the park, lunch or the movies. What do you do in down time? I try to dedicate as much time as I can in being with my family, by taking them out to the park, lunch or the movies. Hobby or Sports? I love watching soccer and sometimes when I have time I don’t mind playing it.
Dan O’Brien Force Protection Program Manager. How do you start your day? I arrive in the office around 7 a.m. and meet with Ms. Della Hodges [director of Area Support Team Balkans] and have an informal daily brief discussing what has occurred the last 24 hours and what is sch eduled in the near future. I check my email, disseminate information to those I work with, prioritize my projects and try to get things accomplished. How long have you been working here? Since August 2012 as a civilian but I was here as a soldier during KFOR 1A and KFOR 2A with almost 14 months boots on ground. It was good to return and see the progress that has been made throughout Kosovo. What do you do for DSPO? I am the Interim Director Security, Plans and Operations and fulfill multiple other duties as the Force Protection Officer, Contract Officer Representative for the Force Protection Contract and all the duties associated with Security Management but would be unable to do those without the team of people behind me. What is the most rewarding part of your job? Doing the right thing. Sometimes it isn’t always the most rewarding thing when others aren’t doing the right thing. But those who have spent time with me realize I enjoy helping others by making sure it’s done the right way. Where are you from and are you married? I was born, raised and entered the military from Quincy, Ill., though I’ve grown to be from where the Army sends me. I’ve been married to my wife Toye for 26 years, and we have a 24-year-old son, Patrick. What do you do in down time? My son is a fire poi performer [swinging tethered weights on fire] and I try to keep up my proficiency of what he taught me by practicing with LED poi when I can. Hobby or Sports? I really enjoy motorsports, NASCAR being my favorite. I also enjoy learning about the history of the Balkans and visiting the cultural and historical sites.
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Burim Vata is the Contract Specialist for Area Support Team Balkans