The following
is an article submitted by a
“I Knew It
All Along: I am a Toastmaster!”
By
Captain John "J.R."
Recruiting
Operations Officer and
Assistant
Professor of Military Science
Shortly after
I arrived at my unit assignment, the Army’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
at Jacksonville State University (JSU), my boss learned that he had a
Toastmaster on staff (me)! To hear him tell it, that was exactly what the
Department of Military Science needed. In fact, I met JSU’s
greatest need. No, even more than that, I was the answer to the unified prayers
of all citizens of the surrounding city of
Well, maybe I
exaggerate how welcome he made me feel (just a touch). However, I was given a
great deal of praise. I was also given a most impressive title – Chief
of Recruiting Operations – and I was given responsibility for three
schools in East Central Alabama.
I should have
known. To whom much is given, much is expected!
November 9,
2006 – that was the day I was told that I could show off my “obvious” public
speaking skills. On that day, students, faculty, staff, and guests of
WHAT??!!
Speaking to a roomful of (gulp) strangers?? By then, I had practiced giving
speeches to 15 or so Toastmasters at a time. However, those Toastmasters were familiar with my speech
projects and me. Now my boss expects me to speak to hundreds of strangers?
No way. I mean, my prior assignments had been in command, logistics, and
training (NOT speech) for Pete’s sake!
I also found
out I was my boss’ second alternate choice – the third person he
asked – after he determined that the first two were unavailable to speak (great
confidence booster). Learning that, I respectfully responded to my boss …that I
would be up for the challenge. *Gulp*
I struggled at
first – with topic, organization, everything! I did not want to bore high
school students with a dry lecture. On top of that, I learned that my boss,
Lieutenant Colonel Henry "Chip" Hester, would be out of town at a
conference that day. The fact was that I was speaking for him, not just
giving a speech at a program with him. I had six weeks to prepare and
deliver the biggest speech of my career, and I did not even know how to begin.
Wait a minute.
Yes, I did. I was a Toastmaster. I had been trained. Six weeks is plenty of
time. Why, I could do it in
Just to be
sure I was ready, my boss asked to review my speech three weeks before the
Veterans Day celebration. So, I
I thought I
already had – now what?!
I needed help.
Oscar Jones, seasoned Toastmaster, always gave solid speeches, and eagerly
helped other club members grow as speakers. So, I asked for his help.
We worked my
“rough draft” into an awesome speech that opened with an engaging series of
questions calling for audience response (no bored teens on my watch, sir). Then
we built the speech to define the word VETERAN as an acronym.
V: Volunteer Force
E: Educating the World on
Democracy
T: Teaching Other Militaries
and Governments
E: Epitomizing ideal
Leadership
R: Responding to the Call for
Help
A: Ambassador of the
N: Need for all citizens to
support Service Members of the
Days passed. The
speech was finally written. For weeks, I practiced and practiced. I was as
ready to face a roomful of strangers as I could be.
Well, the
“room” was a gymnasium, and attendance that day exceeded 1,100 people!! Yikes!
However, I was
not going to back out, AND I WAS NOT GOING TO FAIL. I gave my speech…and it
went BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE EVER HOPED!
The audience
leaned closer toward me with every opening question. The audience repeated each
letter of V.E.T.E.R.A.N. I spoke with loud enthusiasm. More to my surprise, my
speech was interrupted with unanticipated applause seven times (that’s
right, I counted)!
This was an
elating experience for me! I felt like a President at his inauguration.
The speech
closed with Lee Greenwood’s song, “God Bless the
Wow! Only six
people in that entire gymnasium knew me, yet everyone there cheered what I had
done.
What had I
done? I accepted a challenge. I started with my audience in mind. I sought and
accepted help from a fellow Toastmaster. With his help, I produced draft after
draft, until I had a solid speech written. I practiced, and I delivered a
presentation that impacted an audience of more than 1,000 strangers. Finally, I
validated the confidence my boss placed in me.
Did I know I
could do it all along? Of course, I did. I am a Toastmaster.
Captain John "J.R." Davis Reynolds, Jr. is currently
an ACG, CL, and the Recruiting Operations Officer and Assistant Professor of
Military Science at Jacksonville State University, Gadsden State Community
College, and Talladega College. John can be reached at [email protected]
or
at JSU at 256-782-8023. He resides in
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