Gaining Perspective
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
Story by Spc. Shantelle Campbell
10.29.2009 TIKRIT, Iraq – Following in the steps of many of his family members, including both of his grandfathers, Spc. Ryan P. Leclair, an intelligence analyst with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team joined the military because he wanted to do something for his country.
"I've always took pride in the people who have served," said the Southbridge, Mass., native.
As for why he chose to be an intelligence analyst, Leclair said he chose the job because he was good at working with computers and liked analyzing data.
"I want to do [this] when I get out of the Army," he said. "So, I figured it would be a good stepping stone
"I've always took pride in the people who have served," said the Southbridge, Mass., native.
As for why he chose to be an intelligence analyst, Leclair said he chose the job because he was good at working with computers and liked analyzing data.
"I want to do [this] when I get out of the Army," he said. "So, I figured it would be a good stepping stone
for my career."
"I basically collect, analyze and disseminate information that's pertinent to our unit's success."
Proving how critical his job is to not only his unit's success but to its safety as well; Leclair, recently analyzed and revealed information that stopped an emplacement and detonation of an improvised explosive device.
"I feel as though if I had failed, they could have gone out the next night and killed someone," he said. "Knowing that I took them off the street so they won't be able to hurt someone is a good feeling."
"You don't go to work every day knowing exactly what you're going to do," said Leclair, as he talked about one of the most interesting aspects of his job. "... The same significant activity doesn't happen every day. You're constantly changing everything and trying to analyze different things. It keeps your mind going and broadens your spectrum on what's going on in the war."
Staff Sgt. Thomas J. O'Brien, III, a Brownsville, Pa., native and the intelligence section noncommissioned officer in charge with HHB, 2-32 FAR describes Leclair, who was nicknamed "Frenchie" because of the origin of his last name, as someone who is relatively detailed oriented.
"If you give him a task, then he's going to do it," said O'Brien. "He's very specific on what you want and very specific of the products that he puts out."
"Before I joined, I would be like, okay, we're in Iraq and would hope we got out of it soon," said Leclair. "But, now that [I'm] in the Army, it's a whole new view on everything. It's a whole new situation [that] broadens your perspective."
"I basically collect, analyze and disseminate information that's pertinent to our unit's success."
Proving how critical his job is to not only his unit's success but to its safety as well; Leclair, recently analyzed and revealed information that stopped an emplacement and detonation of an improvised explosive device.
"I feel as though if I had failed, they could have gone out the next night and killed someone," he said. "Knowing that I took them off the street so they won't be able to hurt someone is a good feeling."
"You don't go to work every day knowing exactly what you're going to do," said Leclair, as he talked about one of the most interesting aspects of his job. "... The same significant activity doesn't happen every day. You're constantly changing everything and trying to analyze different things. It keeps your mind going and broadens your spectrum on what's going on in the war."
Staff Sgt. Thomas J. O'Brien, III, a Brownsville, Pa., native and the intelligence section noncommissioned officer in charge with HHB, 2-32 FAR describes Leclair, who was nicknamed "Frenchie" because of the origin of his last name, as someone who is relatively detailed oriented.
"If you give him a task, then he's going to do it," said O'Brien. "He's very specific on what you want and very specific of the products that he puts out."
"Before I joined, I would be like, okay, we're in Iraq and would hope we got out of it soon," said Leclair. "But, now that [I'm] in the Army, it's a whole new view on everything. It's a whole new situation [that] broadens your perspective."
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