Hundreds of Louisiana troops are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, thrust into a world different than anything most have ever experienced. But a woman who lives and works in Hammond is committed to making their transitions easier; giving them lessons on the differences in culture and mindset that could save lives.
Ann O’Connor is this month's Jefferson Award winner.
When terrorists attacked America on September11th, 2001 O’Connor was running a hospital in Abha, Saudi Arabia.
“When I saw that plane hit it devastated me,” said O’Connor
But around her O’Connor says there was celebrating.
“The medical director and I worked hand in hand and he jumped up from behind his desk and said ‘aha you deserve this!’ I literally felt like I was surrounded by sharks,” said O’Connor.
O’Connor was in an emotional mine field. At least five of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 came from the Asir province in Saudi Arabia where she lived and worked.
“From that point on I had to represent myself not as who I was then but as my country,” said O’Connor.
O’Connor moved to the Saudi Arabia in1996 with her husband after a job transfer. She and her two children learned to adapt to the Arab way of life.
“I was bored to tears living on the compound so I actually volunteered working with Saudi children,” said O’Connor.
The former nurse's eagerness years later earned her a job as hospital administrator. After almost a decade in Abha, she moved back to the states. The war in Iraq was raging.
“We train our troops how to fight we teach them how to shoot but we don't teach them how to communicate, we don't teach them culture,” said O’Connor. “I said I have this experience I have this knowledge.”
So her volunteer spirit stirred her again to do something.
“I approached this guard unit and said hey would you like for me to come and train troops,” said O’Connor.“They’ll be less apprehensive about going and possibly have less retaliatory acts against them.”
Two years later she speaks regularly to military units.
“It started with one unit in Hammond and I allowed myself to be available to any unit in Louisiana anywhere I can drive,” said O’Connor.
“I think one of the unique perspectives she brings is one of a civilian prospective academia but also working in the health care environment so a medical unit we have a sensitivity to culture but also medical context,” said Capt. James Mason with the U.S. Army.
She trains troops on weekends challenging units like the 4010th U.S. Army Hospital to step outside the box.
“I think it's really good to know about culture in our situation you have to know about people it's not about the fighting it's trying to understand that culture,” SPC Joshua Duloc with the U.S. Army.
“When you're in the room with those soldiers and you see the rewards, you can see their minds opening up and registering what you're teaching, that is what I live for,” said O’Connor. “If I learn that 10 minutes of talking saves lives it was all worth it.”
On top of being a person who volunteers her time and a mother O’Connor is also a student, and works at Southeastern University in Hammond. She’ll graduate in organizational communications in December.
She’s been invited to present her senior thesis paper on the work she's been doing at the International Diversity Conference in Belfast.
Hundreds of Louisiana troops are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, thrust into a world different than anything most have ever experienced. But a woman who lives and works in Hammond is committed to making their transitions easier; giving them lessons on the differences in culture and mindset that could save lives.
