Photo By Gen. Rajagau Tuan Lante | Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III, center, speaks to Soldiers assigned to...... read more read more
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait. – Command sgt. maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III visited soldiers of Camp Buehring, Kuwait, March 25.
The Army’s senior enlisted leader, tasked with the training and welfare of the force, took time to recognize outstanding Camp Buehring soldiers and speak to troops about many of the challenges the Army currently faces.
“There are a lot of things I want to talk about, but the first thing I want to say is thank you,” Chandler said. “You are out here in the desert; you are away from your families and loved ones, I understand that is tough; but we are grateful for your service and your commitment to the nation.”
Chandler encouraged soldiers to remain resilient and ready to confront challenges facing troops in today’s Army.
“You have to recognize the things that make us who we are as soldiers, and what the American people expect from us,” he said. “We are held to a higher standard than most, we are the top one percent. It is not enough to be competent. We must have character and we must be committed to our nation and to this profession.”
Chandler also emphasized the Army leadership’s goal of eliminating suicide and sexual assault throughout the force, and the individual soldier’s role in the prevention of both.
“The standard is to eliminate sexual assault,” he said. “We had fewer assaults last year than the year before, but any sexual assaults is too many. Preventing it starts with the little things. Stop letting inappropriate jokes slide in the workplace; even careless words can lead to sexual assault.”
“The Warrior Ethos teaches us to never leave a fallen comrade,” he continued. “Yet the suicide rate continues to climb. We are all responsible for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in arms. We must look out for each other.”
Chandler also answered questions posed by Camp Buehring soldiers about the future of the Army.
By answering soldiers' questions directly, the sergeant major of the Army demonstrated the Army leadership’s respect for their enlisted soldiers’ concerns, said Sgt. Harold Hoover, armor crewman, Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, “He gave us a better prospective on what is going on throughout the Army,” Hoover said. “He cleared up a lot of my soldiers’ questions right off the bat before they even asked, and spent a lot of time answering others’ questions as well.”
By visiting Camp Buehring, the sergeant major of the Army demonstrated the importance Army leadership places on their enlisted soldiers, said Spc. William Grimaldo, fire control repairer, Company B, 4th Brigade Support Battalion.
“He let us know that the military is doing their best to help us out, to get the things we need,” Grimaldo said. “I really appreciate him taking the time to speak with us and answer our questions.”
Chandler’s words motivated the soldiers of Camp Buehring to remain true to the Army Values, resilient in the face a changing Army landscape and ready for anything the future may bring.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2013 08:58 |
| Story ID: | 104302 |
| Location: | CAMP BUEHRING, KW |
| Web Views: | 179 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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