Courtesy Photo | Indiana Adjutant General Maj. Gen R. Martin Umbarger tears off Spc. Jed Ness' rank...... read more read more
By Rob Cooper
Crier staff writer
EDINBURGH, Ind. -- Indiana's adjutant general awarded the state's highest military award Tuesday at Camp Atterbury to local Guardsmen for his role in saving a truck driver's life last March. Following an award ceremony, the general promoted the soldier valorously, an act that had never before taken place under current Indiana National Guard command.
Spc. Jed Ness was awarded the Indiana Distinguished Service Cross by Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger and was given a valorous promotion to the rank of sergeant for saving the life of James Jones on March 20.
Umbarger said that after researching Ness' military service, he felt that the Huntington native deserved a promotion that merited his outstanding record and valiant deeds.
"I knew that I was coming to recognize the Soldier and award him a heroic action medal," Umbarger said. "As I researched and spokes with other who worked with him, all I heard was he was extremely disciplined and very active in his work at Camp Atterbury. I decided to exercise my right as adjutant general and promote him."
"You just don't give those promotions out," Umbarger added. "This is based on outstanding circumstances, and I felt that sergeant Ness deserved to be recognized for his service and dedication to Indiana."
"I didn't expect all this," Ness said, who is known by his peers for his modest demeanor and solid work ethics. "For me to receive the cross and for general Umbarger to promote me, there are just no words to express the feeling."
"For me, being able to see that man go home at the end of the day to see his kids and wife is my biggest reward," Ness said. "It's an unfortunate thing to be put in that situation, but it's part of the job and a risk we as Soldiers take every day."
Ness, who has served in both the Navy Reserves and the Indiana National Guard was excited to be promoted.
"I'm happy that I finally made Sergeant," Ness said. "I just didn't make high enough points on the board, that's why I figured I was never promoted. I figured that if someone had higher points on the board, they deserved it more than me."
According to the Indiana National Guard's Enlisted Promotion branch, only six months of holding specialist rank are required for promotion to sergeant. A Soldier is also placed on a board and given a score based upon leadership evaluations, physical fitness, weapons qualification and other considerations. The points are then compared against other Soldiers within their job description, and those with the highest scores are considered for open sergeant positions throughout the state.
Staff Sgt. Jeff Dugan, Ness' supervisor at Camp Atterbury's engineer shop, said that he deserved the promotion.
"He's a special guy and a hard worker," he said. "He's probably my best operator; he gets here and gets the job done. He cares to help everybody, and is always willing to give you the shirt off his back."
Ness said that he plans on continuing his upward momentum with the Indiana National Guard and plans on attending advanced leadership and correspondence courses that will pave the way for future promotions.
"My plan is to try and help more Soldiers to become better and more proficient, because now there's more leadership and more responsibility required," he said. "For me, the most important thing is to make sure that safety is ensured, make sure that the equipment is taken care of, and to help everybody that needs it, no matter what."
| Date Taken: | 12.14.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 12.14.2007 19:31 |
| Story ID: | 14724 |
| Location: | EDINBURGH, US |
| Web Views: | 191 |
| Downloads: | 138 |
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