CSM Troxell says goodbye to 'Bulldogs,' gives advice for preparing successful soldiers

Photo By Staff Sgt. Victor Everhart | Sgt. Maj. John Troxell, the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command sergeant major, speaking during a distinguished guest visit to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, also known as the "Bulldog Brigade." During his visit he talked about the future of the Army, as well as how to prepare soldiers for successful careers. "I have a few brigades over here and the 'Bulldog' Brigade is one of the best, because you do the fundamentals better than almost everyone else," said Troxell.  

LOGAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

06.02.2012

Story by Sgt. Victor Everhart 

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division Public Affairs

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Near the end of his Afghanistan tour Sgt. Maj. John Troxell, the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command sergeant major, visited and spoke to the senior non-commissioned officers of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, known as the “Bulldog” Brigade.

During his visit, he awarded stellar non-commissioned officers the IJC 1st Corps coin and talked about how to improve young soldiers and motivate them to stand out from the group.

“In the last 12 months we’ve gone from a force that was in the lead doing direct targeting and getting after the enemy to a force that puts our Afghan counterparts in the lead,” said Troxell, as he opened the conversation with senior non-commissioned officers. “That’s what we want, be it we still are a lethal force with our partners.”

After he gave the crowd a situational report of the state of the battlefield and where he believed it was going Troxell then turned his attention to the preparation of young soldiers and how to prepare them for success.

“How can a young trooper separate themselves from their peers,” asked Troxell.

As the group pondered this question, everyone in the room came to a joint answer of schools.

“Schools,” said Troxell.

“Engineers can go to sapper school, infantryman can get their expert infantryman’s badge as well as go to ranger school, and regardless of [military occupational specialty] you can go to air assault and airborne school,” said Troxell.

“Saying I’m different because I’ve been to combat isn’t going to cut it, college and military schools are just the beginning,” said Troxell. “We need soldiers that aren’t scared or to lazy to strive for glory, top of the line performers are what the Army is looking to retain.”

As he closed his speech to the senior non-commissioned officers, he commended the “Bulldog” Brigade for their hard work.

“I just want to say thanks for your hard work over here,” said Troxell. “I call this area of Logar and Wardak the objective rallying point for operations of the enemies in Kabul,” said Troxell. “If insurgents are successful here, they’ll be influential in assassinations of the Great Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials and key Afghan National Security Forces leaders.”

“But the hard work you do here,” said Troxell as he closed his speech. “Disrupting the enemy, and I don’t care what you do, whether it be the Infantryman on the ground, an engineer doing route clearance or just someone linked or related to the supply chain, you all have a piece to the success of this organization.”

“I have a few brigades over here and the ‘Bulldog’ Brigade is one of the best, because you do the fundamentals, better than almost everyone else,” said Troxell.

• Date Taken: 06.02.2012
• Date Posted: 06.18.2012 01:32
• Story ID: 90159
• Location: LOGAR PROVINCE, AF