Robinson named 145th Brigade Support Battalion commander

SANDPOINT — Ryan Robinson’s recent life has has been a balancing act.

As a commercial banker, his office job keeps him immersed in a world of numbers and statistics. But there’s another fork in his professional life. Robinson is also a major in the National Guard with two tours in Iraq under his belt.

If Robinson was expecting any free time after returning home from Iraq in September, he was mistaken. His recent promotion to commander of the Idaho Army Guard’s 145th Brigade Support Battalion, headquartered in Lewiston, eliminated that as a possibility. Combined with the return to his Wells Fargo banking job and his responsibilities as a father and husband, Robinson now finds himself busier than ever.

“I get a lot of use out of my Blackberry,” he said.

As the battalion commander, Robinson carries the final authority for ensuring the military unit’s finances are in order, the correct training procedures are in place and just about every other administrative function imaginable. Luckily, he has plenty of help from on-site Lewiston full-time operations officer Capt. David Darney, who takes care of all the responsibilities that require a physical, on-base presence. That allows Robinson to maintain his work at Wells Fargo and removes the need to uproot his family.

Even though Robinson already had his hands full, he saidthe position of battalion commander was too great an honor to pass up. With more than 500 dedicated and hard-working individuals, the competition for promotions can be intimidating. As a member since 2000, Robinson resolved to simply put everything into the work and accept whatever came his way.

“My philosophy was just to do the best job I could do, perform the mission, take care of the soldiers and hopefully the promotions would come naturally,” he said.

He had plenty of opportunities to demonstrate that dedication overseas.  The Iraqi government wasn’t the only thing that needed to be rebuilt after the fall of Saddam Hussein. With the transition from a socialist to a capitalist economic system, the country’s entire financial and business structure had to be reformed.

Farmers used to receiving seeds, soil and other necessities from the government had to readjust the way they understood their livelihood.

As an economic development officer, Robinson’s primary job during his years in Iraq involved setting up the financial infrastructure to give Iraqi entrepreneurs a start and current businessmen the opportunity to expand. During his first tour, he focused on economic reconstruction in north-central and north-eastern Iraq. The terrain was harsh and the work hours long.

“Sixteen hours a day was pretty common,” he said. “There wasn’t a whole lot to do, but there was always more work, so I generally preferred to stay busy.”

His efforts helped set up a business facility, first known as the Iraq Micro Credit Center, that based on Iraqis training Iraqis. By relying on thorough and sensible business plans, the center soon became a success.

“Both military and business ideas are like boomerangs,” he said. “If they don’t complete their course and follow through back to you, they’re just an ugly stick.”

One of his proudest moments during his tour arrived when he handed the keys over to the center’s new Iraqi executive director. Now named the Iraq Al-Aman Credit Center, the facility’s financiers have distributed nearly $16 million to more than 8,200 individuals with a 98.6 percent repayment rate.

However, Robinson was more than happy to trade the deserts of Iraq for the mountains and lake of Sandpoint. Reunited with his wife, Jenni, and his children, he is eager to continue developing his private and military careers in a community that cares for him.

“If there’s one message we (military members) want to get across, it’s how much we appreciate our communities’ support,” he said. “There’s not a day that goes where someone doesn’t thank me for my service.”