Army, Air Force join to celebrate new NCOs

Photo By Jacob McDonald | Sgt. Kiwian Christian, E Company, 429th Brigade Support Battalion of the Virginia National Guard, and a native of Richmond, Va., crosses the "threshold" to become a non-commissioned officer during a joint Army and Air Force NCO induction ceremony at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Feb. 13.  

KUWAIT

02.24.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Jacob McDonald 

50th Public Affairs Detachment

Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob A. McDonald
Desert Voice staff writer
50th Public Affairs Detachment NCOIC

Soldiers and Airmen from the Joint Logistical Task Force 1144 came together, Feb. 13, to formally welcome new non-commissioned officers to the corps at an induction ceremony on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

The event began with a video presentation about what it means to be an NCO as well as a brief history of the non-commissioned officer.

After the presentations, Tech. Sgt. Alex Garcia, 424th Medium Truck Detachment, spoke about the important role the newly inducted NCOs will play.

"To me an NCO is someone who takes care of the troops while completing the mission," Garcia said. "You'll know what the mission is, but how will you accomplish it. Your most important resources in the armed forces is the people who wear the uniform and serve beneath you. How you handle them directly impacts how the mission is accomplished.

"You are the first line of supervision; this is where you earn your stripes. Ensure the mission gets done while taking care of the troops," he said. "You have to remember to take care of the troops, and in turn they will take care of you."

He also spoke about the role of the junior NCOs as trainers, supervisors, counselors and mentors.

"The NCO corps is the backbone of the armed forces," Garcia said. "In today's military we need dedicated professionals who maintain the standard, get the job done right the first time and take care of his or her troops while keeping the military running on a day to day basis."

Sgt. Aliayiah Diaab, 1230th Transportation Company, spoke to the inductees about their responsibility.

"This is not something to be taken lightly," Diaab said. "Being an NCO means more than just wearing a sergeant's stripes. It means living the Army values every day, accomplishing the mission, looking out for the welfare of your Soldiers and everything the NCO Creed states.

"Being an NCO means constantly teaching, guiding and learning," Diaab continued. "It means taking initiative and building a team."

Following the speakers' comments, more than 60 Soldiers and Airmen walked beneath crossed rifles to symbolically pass over the threshold to the NCO corps. At the conclusion of the ceremony the newly inducted NCOs recited the Army NCO Creed and the Air Force Airman's Creed.

"This joint ceremony is an extension of how we do everything in our task force," said Command

Sgt. Maj. Teresa Becker, task force command sergeant major, 1144th JLTF.
"Our entire transportation mission involves both Airmen and Soldiers. We are one team through our entire deployment," Becker said. "I knew that is how I wanted our inductees to be welcomed into the brotherhood of the non-commissioned officer corps; as one team, one family, one joint logistical task force."

• Date Taken: 02.24.2008
• Date Posted: 02.24.2008 15:48
• Story ID: 16658
• Location: KW