Nelson enlisted when he was 19 and has been a CBRN soldier ever since. Last year he made the transition from Master Sergeant to CBRN Warrant Officer. As CBRN Warrant Officer, Nelson’s role involves taking protective measures in situations in which any hazardous materials may be present. He then advises his commander on possible courses of action that can been taken in order to accomplish their mission.

“It’s the best of both worlds because I get to have a greater influence on decision-making processes with my commanding officer, but still use all of the experience that I’ve had to influence the soldiers in the field,” Nelson said.

Threats are determined through tips on what danger certain organizations or players may pose. For instance, if it is suspected that an organization has certain compounds that may be able to make a nerve or biological agent, the military can plan accordingly.

Technological advancements over the past 20 years have made a dramatic impact on communication within the military, he explained. When Nelson first entered, the computer programs he now uses to communicate did not exist. These advancements allow them to fight multiple wars on different fronts. Yet, Nelson feels that this has also allowed soldiers to worry less about the physical aspects of war. Additionally, according to Nelson, the soldiers coming into the military today are much more technologically savvy and book-smart than his generation, which makes “it hard for incoming soldiers to learn how to problem-solve if they haven’t memorized the answer in a textbook.”
“That’s the thing about war,” Nelson said. “Sometimes situations don’t always fit into a nice, neat little box. And so you have to know how to solve problems without that book or manual, which is an aspect of the military that has gone away slightly as technology has advanced, but I also can’t sit down and say I expect the world to be the same as it was when I was 19. The world is constantly changing.”

Nelson said that he views the military as a commitment he made years ago and a duty to the soldiers who have fallen before him and with that, comes sacrifices. Nelson’s daughter turned two last Sunday. She was born when he was overseas and he missed her birthday last week because he had reserves training in Connecticut.

“It wasn’t as hard before her,” he said. “It was always hard, but not this hard.” Although his family couldn’t celebrate together that day, they plan to go pumpkin-picking this weekend.

He said, “As long as I can serve, I will, but when it’s time for me to leave, I’ll hang up my boots.”