New NCOs are inducted into the corps

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Jason Stadel | Sgt. Billie Duckett, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, symbolically crosses the line from junior enlisted Soldier to non-commissioned officer during an induction ceremony, Oct. 31, at Forward Operating Base Kalsu.  

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

11.05.2007

Story by Sgt. Jason Stadel 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

By Sgt. Jason Stadel
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Six newly-promoted 2nd Brigade, 3rd Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division non-commissioned officers were inducted into the Non-commissioned Officer Corps at a ceremony held at Rocky's Dining Facility on Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Oct. 31.

The ceremony recognizes the career advancement of a Soldier into a leadership position.

The ceremony's keynote speaker, 1st Sgt. Reginald Bolton, first sergeant, Company A, 2-3 BTB, addressed the importance of living to a high standard.

Bolton told the new NCOs to use the NCO creed as a tool to help them in their daily decision making.

"It's not just words; that creed is a living document," Bolton said. "The NCO creed was given to us non-commissioned officers as a gauging tool. When you feel as though you can't go any further you can always use your gauging tool."

The creed was written in 1974 by Sgt. 1st Class Bringham. The purpose of the creed was to give NCOs a yardstick by which to measure themselves.

Although the creed has been rewritten since the initial draft in 1974, the message is still the same.

Bolton, a signal Soldier and former drill sergeant, asked the new sergeants not to take advantage of their new rank.

"It's not the rank that makes a non-commissioned officer; it's the person that makes the rank," he said.

Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Campbell, brigade commander, 2-3 BTB, welcomed the newly promoted Soldiers into the NCO corps.

"We've got a great group of sergeants and I'm proud of them," Campbell said. He also reminded the NCOs of their jobs to lead, train and care for Soldiers and to maintain the traditions of the Army.

The 2-3 BTB Soldiers inducted into the NCO corps are Sgts. Billie Duckett and Christopher Hazelton, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Sgts. Tiffany Doyle, Amanda Emmerson, and Renata Williams, Company A, and Sgt. Jessica Robertson, Company B.

• Date Taken: 11.05.2007
• Date Posted: 11.05.2007 14:46
• Story ID: 13652
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ