Arizona National Guard NCO shines above the rest

Photo By Rob Strain | Three of Sgt. Scott Todd's Soldiers: Spc. Lorraine Perez, Spc. Delilah Ruiz and Spc. Melissa Barnes, all with the 3666th Maintenance Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), brief Col. Larry Phelps, the brigade's commander, on operations at a retrograde yard during a visit Jan. 29.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, IRAQ

02.13.2010

Story by Staff Sgt. Rob Strain 

15th Sustainment Brigade

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq — An Arizona National Guard noncommissioned officer competed and outperformed his peers during a Sergeant Audie Murphy Club board here Feb. 5.

Sgt. Scott Todd, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion's Pacesetter Retrograde Yard at Camp Taji, Iraq, displayed exemplary bearing and an in-depth knowledge of the required topics, said Command Sgt. Maj. Nathaniel Bartee Sr., the 15th Sustainment Brigade senior NCO and the president of the board.

"His engaged leadership, knowing each individual Soldier down to their family information," Bartee said is what really made Todd stand out.

For Todd, a 16-year veteran and a Florence, Ariz., native, his Soldiers are what it is all about.

"I lead my Soldiers; I train my Soldiers," Todd said. "Cut and dry."

He provides the tools his Soldiers need to succeed, and competing in the Sergeant Audie Murphy board is more important to his Soldiers than it is to him, Todd explained.

His Soldiers have grown leaps and bounds over the past several months, Todd said.

"I take the time and effort to teach them the right thing," he added.

The Soldiers are more confident now and will actually teach training classes to each other, Todd said.

"I can't expect them to replace me, if they don't know what I do," he said.

Todd said he was most proud of his Soldiers during a recent visit to the retrograde yard by Col. Larry Phelps, the 15th Sust. Bde. commander. During the visit, the Soldiers were able to brief the colonel completely, knowing exactly what their mission was and why it was important.

That's the kind of leadership Bartee said puts Todd above the rest.

"For a young sergeant to attend the Audie Murphy board, he has demonstrated himself as a senior NCO, way above his pay grade," Bartee said.

"He is the leader we are looking for to lead our Soldiers in today's Army," Bartee added.

• Date Taken: 02.13.2010
• Date Posted: 02.13.2010 06:24
• Story ID: 45302
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, IQ