Photo By Staff Sgt. Christina Dion | At the end of the best warrior competition, Sgt. Maj. Philip R. Vance, the 518th...... read more read more
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CAMP BLANDING, Fla. — It’s so quiet, a pin drop can be heard. The Soldier sits at the position of attention, back straight, eyes facing straight ahead with his legs perfectly still and his palms resting just over his knees. The motions in his chin and slight twitching of his fingers are the only signs of his nervousness. He sits and looks at the sergeants major sitting at the table before him, waiting for the next question with hopes that he will be able to recall the answer.
The sergeant major to the right speaks: “What are the three types of article 15s?” The soldier nervously responds with “I do not recall the answer to that question, sergeant major.” Instead of moving to the next question, the sergeant major looks at the young Soldier. He studies his face for a moment, noticing his nervousness and tells him “I think you do. Relax and try again.”
Many sergeants’ major boards are cut and dry. You know the answer or you don’t. This sergeant major wants the best warrior competitors before him to draw into what he is sure they already know but are too nervous to express.
Sergeant Major Philip R. Vance of the 518th S-3 operations office is soft spoken, always busy and approachable to the youngest of Soldiers.
Not only does he sit on the nerve-wracking board, he also organized, planned and coordinated the last three 518th Sustainment Brigade best warrior competitions and the 2014 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) best warrior competition.
These competitions take months to plan and evolve as time goes on, he said. Although the planning may seem never-ending since the competitions are held annually, Vance said he thinks it’s all worth it.
“Just being in the military has allowed me to really enjoy the realistic training opportunities that the best warrior competition offers,” he said. “From planning to execution, I just like training and being in this environment. This is what it’s all about - soldiering”
Although during the competition there is still a lot of work to do, Vance enjoys leaving his desk to become a spectator.
“My favorite part of the best warrior competition is watching the Soldiers compete,” he said. “They really go hard at every event and that’s what this competition is about - being the best.”
Being the best isn’t only for competitors. This leader sets the example in a competition set up to find the top warriors. His professionalism and genuine appreciation for Soldiers is apparent to those around him.
“I respect that he cares about Soldiers,” said Spc. Nathan Jackson, a petroleum supply specialist with the 941st Transportation Company out of Charleston, S.C. and 143rd ESC best warrior competitor. “His expertise and professionalism stand above most, which makes him excellent leader.”
“Sergeant Major Vance has excellent leadership skills,” said Jackson. “He cares about Soldiers and gives his time to help coordinate, support and run the best warrior competitions.”
The support staff sees those qualities in him as well, which makes them want to do their best for him.
“The time I’ve known sergeant major, he’s been pretty much a straight forward sergeant major,” said Staff Sgt. Keith Torbert, the senior mechanic with the 518th Sustainment Bde. in Knightdale, N.C. “He means what he says and does what he says he’ll do.”
According to Torbert, that lead by example attitude is what makes the events work. “Without his leadership, I think things wouldn’t have gone as smoothly.”
That leadership is what helps get all the necessary components of organizing the event together, although he’s too modest to take the credit.
“It takes a lot of effort,” he said of putting the competition together. “I honestly don’t plan the best warrior competition alone. Several key personnel get together and discuss the various training events, scheduling of training areas, and personnel required to conduct realistic and effective training. Amazingly, it all comes together.”
Although Vance doesn’t do it all alone, his guidance is key. He started his career in the Florida National Guard in January 1986 as a supply specialist and worked his way through the ranks. Through multiple deployments, and stateside mobilizations, Vance served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Panama, Germany and North Carolina honing his skills.
This prepared him for the task of planning an event in an environment where most competitors and support staff are not local to the area, budgets are incredibly tight and resources can be difficult to acquire. Vance is able to bring together all the moving parts to make the competition a success.
Experience alone won’t do it, said Vance. Sergeant major is able to make this happen with key characteristics that he said are important.
“You need clear, proactive thinking and the ability to work alongside different personalities,” said Vance.
Another important key is “desire to see Soldiers actually soldiering and competing to be the best against their peers and earning the respect of them as well,” he said.
Not only does Vance earn Soldiers respect, he gives it. As a married father of one teenage son, Vance said he believes truly caring about the Soldiers is what sets the foundation.
A competition of this magnitude requires a lot of work, but Vance said that it’s all worth it at the end. “Watching the winners faces as they accept the award for best warrior. I almost feel like a proud papa,” he said. “In a couple days you really become close to the competitors and develop bonds with them.”
| Date Taken: | 03.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2014 16:36 |
| Story ID: | 135542 |
| Location: | CAMP BLANDING, FL, US |
| Hometown: | KNIGHTDALE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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