For Rich Karge, freedom and service go hand in hand. An Army National Guardsman since he turned 18, the Cumberland, Md., Local 307 member stepped up to volunteer for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief and served an eight-month tour in Kuwait at Camp Doha—the main hub for newly-arriving troops during the earlier days of the war in Afghanistan.

In May, Karge got the call again. This month, the journeyman wireman ships out to Iraq with the 115th West Virginia Army National Guard to put his IBEW skills to the test in combat zones. His knowledge of cable splicing, transformer and panel terminating and other tasks will be valuable assets as he helps maintain infrastructure stability at various U.S. bases over the next year.

"For me, my biggest thing is my freedom," Karge says. "I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect my country. I’m proud to go."

At 27, Karge has impressive military, educational, volunteer and work credentials. He found that with his busy service schedule, pursuing a college degree to become an electrical engineer wasn’t exactly feasible. "I also knew that sitting behind a desk wasn’t going to be my thing," Karge said. So he entered the IBEW apprenticeship program in 2003, topping out last year.

"The union was great about giving me time to catch up on my coursework while I volunteered in Louisiana after Katrina," Karge said. His instructors worked with him to ensure that he wouldn’t be delayed an extra year for taking time out to perform national service. "I appreciate everything my local has done for me."

Karge said he’s also grateful for the emergency leave time he’ll take in August when his wife Ashley gives birth to the couple’s first child. "We’ll do whatever we can to help Rich and Ashley during this time of separation," said Local 307 Business Manager Rich Carder. "He’s been an asset to our local and to the IBEW, and we pray for his safe return."