What animal has four legs but only walks on two and teaches children about the dangers of unexploded ordnance? Hint: there are two answers.
If you guessed Sergeant Woof or Matthew Urbanic, you are correct
Urbanic left his human form behind and adopted a much furrier one at this year’s Organizational Day June 10 and again for Team Redstone in the Park June 18.
The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Energy Division contracting officer entertained children at both events by transforming into Sergeant Woof. Woof is a dog who teaches children about the dangers of unexploded ordnance and the three R’s of ordnance safety: recognize, retreat and report.
For children living on military bases, the lessons are valuable because the older the base is, the higher the chances are of finding unexploded ordnance, Urbanic said.
In the office, Urbanic is not only praised for his ability to create a successful workforce team but also to create adorable balloon animals. A talent that came in handy when entertaining children as Sergeant Woof at this year’s Organizational Day.
“I signed up to do it because I knew as a parent, and I knew as a former commander that making the families, especially the children happy, is a key element of success for one of these Org Days to work well,” Urbanic said.
Confined within the hot canine suit and disguised as Sergeant Woof, ironically, Urbanic found freedom, he said.
“The first Organizational Day I'd had in easily two decades where I had zero responsibility,” he said. “I’m not in charge of anybody; life is great. I realized that I was completely free.”
However, at first, he did not embrace his second identity as Sergeant Woof.
“I did a counter narrative to also spread the idea that it was Russ (Dunford) over in Operations that was doing it so I could draw attention off of me,” Urbanic said.
Though trying to keep his identity hidden, Urbanic made it his mission to provide children with entertainment so their parents could enjoy the event, too.
“The kids are really important because when you're a parent, if your kids aren't happy you probably aren't going to be happy either,” he said.
Urbanic’s own happy attitude aids him in the workforce. Recently, he received a nomination for the Employee of the Year Award.
“(Urbanic) gets stuff done, but he laughs along the way,” said Chief of Operations Russ Dunford.
“He has a dry sense of humor, he’s witty.”
His positivity helps build strong teams in any office he works in, said Center Chief of Contracting Colleen O’Keefe in a memorandum for Urbanic’s nomination.
“He adds that intangible edge that makes everyone around him better through patient, skilled execution and knowledge sharing,” O’Keefe said. “He leads by being the best follower, linking his own success to the success of his branch teammates.”
Volunteering his time to don the Sergeant Woof costume, for both Organizational Day and Team Redstone in the Park, is just Urbanic’s latest contribution to the Center, said Lieutenant Colonel Burlin Emery, Huntsville Center commander.
“Anytime you're looking for someone to volunteer, he's there,” Emery said. “He's volunteered to be a part of the Union Negotiation Team. He's helped out on the change of command.”
Despite his many job accomplishments, he has only been out of service and working at the Center for a little over a year.
“He's really making a difference,” Emery said. “He could have easily showed up and done nothing.”
Urbanic is a good example of someone who successfully transitioned from the military to the civilian world, Emery said.
Since settling down, Urbanic enjoys spending time with his family and volunteering in the community.
“One thing about moving every couple of years is you never put down roots,” he said. “You never really get involved with the communities you live in because you know you're going to move.”
Serving the country runs in the family. After 21 years in the Army, Urbanic retired as a lieutenant colonel.
“(I'm) the first officer of our bloodline although every male has been in the service, every single one of us,” Urbanic said. “All my brothers have, cousins, every one of us has done at least one initial tour because, as my grandpa used to tell me, he saw it as a way to reaffirm citizenship.”
Urbanic’s grandfather traveled to the country in the 1920s from Croatia, Urbanic said.
“He worked in the steel mill his entire life, his son (Urbanic’s father) worked in the steel mill and then joined the Air Force and went to Korea,” he said.
Urbanic tries to downplay his contributions and success, but he is a valuable asset to the Huntsville Center’s team, Emery said.
“He'll tell you, 'oh I don't want to be nothing; I'm perfectly content being a nobody, but he's really not,” Emery said.
Though Urbanic insists he is nothing special, his actions prove otherwise.