Photo By 1st Sgt. Brent Williams | Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Bobb, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,...... read more read more
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By Sgt. 1st Class Brent Williams
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, took a break from ongoing security operations to recognize the induction of two of their non-commissioned officers into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club during a formal ceremony Jan. 13 at Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad.
Staff Sgt. Michael Blake, a cavalry scout from Martha's Vineyard, Mass., assigned to Troop A, and Staff Sgt. Richard Valencia, a cavalry scout from Indio, Calif., assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., were presented the prestigious Sergeant Audie Murphy Medallion and a U.S. Army Commendation Medal for exemplifying the highest standards and characteristics of leadership.
Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Bobb, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., presented the medallions and medals to the "Ghost" Squadron Soldiers, personally recognizing the Soldiers who were unable to attend MND-B's official induction ceremony Dec. 18 at Freedom Rest in Baghdad's International Zone.
Two of four NCOs selected from 20 "Raider" Brigade candidates, both Blake and Valencia possessed the knowledge that shapes and defines character: "The eternal and defining qualities that make up the ability of a leader and what a leader must be," said Bobb, a combat veteran with more than 26 years service.
"The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club is reserved for a selected few, a special few non-commissioned officers who not only influence Soldiers daily, but they inspire and motivate Soldiers both inside and outside this chain of command to procure actions, shape thinking and shape decision for the greater good of the organization," said Bobb, who hails from the Islands of Trinidad.
The induction of the NCOs, who were unable to attend the ceremony in December due to mission requirements, recognizes the continued commitment of Blake and Valencia to live up to the "Be, Know, and Do," characteristics inherent in all leadership, said Bobb.
"What leaders do, or a leader's actions are directly related to the influence they have on others and what they have done," Bobb said. "Staff Sgt. Blake and Staff Sgt. Valencia placed the unit and their Soldiers above personal self interests and comfort; they placed the lives of others above personal desire for self-preservation, just like Sgt. Audie Murphy."
Staff Sgt. Michael Blake, a section leader deployed with "Assassin" Troop at a joint security station in the Rashid district, said this recognition would not have been possible without the support of his Soldiers, who deserve all of the credit for his success.
When approached by his troop first sergeant, Blake said he jumped at the opportunity to compete for one of the U.S. Army's most highly esteemed honors, spending hours studying for the numerous brigade and division-level boards in between daily security operations and duties of an NCO in a combat zone.
"I like to set high standards and goals for myself because I believe that if I do that, it is an example for my Soldiers," said Blake, a veteran of 12 years service and three deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "If I sit around and accept mediocrity and settle for the status quo or the norm, then my Soldiers will do the same thing."
Staff Sgt. Richard Valencia, a combat veteran of more than 12 years' service, said he is thankful for the opportunity to accomplish his personal goal, and also attributed his success to his Soldiers.
"As a leader, I've come to know my Soldiers and have seen them grow and promoted to become leaders of Soldiers," Valencia said.
Valencia said he works to teach his Soldiers through his experiences, leading by example, and he takes personal and professional pride in his Soldiers as they follow his leadership, implementing his style and characteristics into their own ethos.
"The Soldiers have been outstanding," said Valencia, who comes from a family with more than three generations of military service.
Valencia said he feels like a father as he has known many of his Soldiers since they arrived to the unit, training, learning and transitioning from privates in a garrison environment to Warriors in a combat zone.
He also said he is in awe of being selected by his Soldiers and his troop for the honor to compete for the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.
"The only thing I can do is try to guide them and help them: whether they are getting out or whether staying in, is try to guide them as best as possible, so that they can make the right decisions and do the best they can."
Humility and character are the two things both NCOs possess, said Lt. Col. Troy Smith, commander of the 7th "Ghost" Sqdn., 10th Cav. Regt., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
"That is what makes these two sergeants a cut above the rest," said Smith, who hails from Culpepper, Va. "They should be very proud and very honored to be wearing that medallion."
Audie Leon Murphy became the most decorated U.S. Soldier in combat during World War II, earning 33 awards and decorations during his three years of service, to include the Congressional Medal of Honor at the age of 19.
According to "The History of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club," at www.armystudyguide.com, the club, which began at Fort Hood, Texas, as an installation club, became a U.S. Army-wide honor for military leaders, to include the U.S. Army Reserves and National Guard, at a Sergeant Major of the Army conference in 1994.
| Date Taken: | 01.16.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 01.16.2009 03:08 |
| Story ID: | 28902 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 583 |
| Downloads: | 435 |
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