Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston sits down to talk about USARCENT

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

03.30.2008

Story by Spc. Christopher Grammer 

50th Public Affairs Detachment

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By Pfc. Christopher Grammer
50th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- Q: You've heard of U.S. Army Central's transformation to full spectrum operations, what advice do you have for NCOs on this subject?

A: Well I guess from an NCO's perspective as you look at what the Army is doing right now, we are being asked by our mission to the American people to be able to do full spectrum operations. As you look over the last 17 or 18 years since the fall of the Iron Curtain in November 1989, we've had more than 40 deployments out there that required a brigade size unit or more and it's been really full spectrum. You've had the full-out combat operations, general war at one end of the spectrum – tank-on-tank, and infantry Soldier in the trenches kind of fight; Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and the invasion going into Iraq.

As you back off that, you have the insurgency fight like you see in Iraq and Afghanistan – a very tough fight. As you go further down the spectrum you see peace keeping missions such as Bosnia and Kosovo. All the way at the other end of the spectrum you have humanitarian relief and support such as Hurricane Katrina. For Hurricane Katrina for example, not only did we have 50,000 National Guard Soldiers, we had a (brigade combat team) out of the 82nd Airborne and the 1st Cavalry Division deployed down there to help out too.

Soldiers are being asked to do many different missions out there, so from a NCO perspective it's important that we maintain our competency. We've gone through a bunch of things such as the NCO education system. We've renamed the Primary Leadership Development Course to the Warrior Leader Course, its more hands on and more warrior focused to prepare first line supervisors corporal and sergeant to lead Soldiers not only in a combat environment but in a very austere environment were its very ambiguous and very complex.

This year, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course and Advanced Noncomissioned Officer Course will become the Junior Leader Course and the Senior Leader Course. Trying to prepare NCOs not only for present level of responsibility but for the next level of responsibility.

Q: In your travels you've seen other numbered armies such as Eighth Army and First Army. What are your thoughts on USARCENT's mission in Kuwait?

A: The mission here for ARCENT is that it is the backbone for the missions were doing here in theater. Actually, we wouldn't be able to do what we do today if it wasn't for ARCENT and all the Soldiers who are here supporting that mission.

Q: What are some improvements that you and the Headquarters Department of the Army are working on for Soldiers and their families' quality of life?

A: This year alone, the Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George Casey and Secretary of the Army Pete Geren have committed $1.4 billion towards quality of life improvements. Last year I had the honor and privilege to join the chief and the secretary at Fort Knox, (Ky.), for the sounding of the Army's Family Covenant.

The Family Covenant, when you look at it, is a commitment not only from the senior leadership but from also the installation leadership and all the post camps and stations where Soldiers and families live. It's a commitment from leaders at both ends of the spectrum to provide a quality of life for Soldiers and Families that is commensurate with the quality of service that they provide the nation. The Army Family Covenant includes everything from housing, barracks, youth services, childcare and also taking care of Family Readiness Groups by appointing a (representative) for every battalion-sized element FRG to help keep them informed of what's going on and organize activities.

Q: With many Soldiers facing multiple deployments and 15 month deployments, what is the importance of Army Family members?

A: Predominately Soldiers re-enlist and stay in the Army for three primary reasons. First reason is the command climate; the command climate starts from the first line supervisor and extends all the way up through the NCO support chain and the chain of command. They want to continue to be a part of that organization. They want to continue to be a part of the "band of brothers."

The second reason is job satisfaction. Job satisfaction goes beyond occupational specialty; it's being satisfied with the mission that you as an individual or your unit has been given. Once you've completed that mission, it's being appreciated for that mission when you come back home.

The third thing is the quality of life and this is where the family piece of it comes in. All of us who have families out there we do what we do for our families.

Our families are the most important thing in our lives. It's being able to provide a quality of life for our families and for those single Soldiers providing a quality of life that is as good or better than what they can provide back home.