NCO Trooper of the Quarter Honored by Challenge

02.14.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Jerry Rushing 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

By Army Staff Sgt. Jerry Rushing
Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – Non-commissioned officers used their time wisely to review their military knowledge with the help of study guides given to them by their command and were given last minute instructions before their board appearances: "Relax and don't stutter."

This was the scene Jan. 28, as eight troopers prepared for the Joint Task Force NCO Trooper of the Quarter boards. At the close of the day, only one NCO would be named the winner. Sgt. Daniel Carver, a corrections NCO for the 189th Military Police Battalion, was the last standing and was named the JTF NCO Trooper of the Quarter.

"I am very honored and excited to win this challenge," Carver said. "I couldn't believe it. At first, I thought it was something that I would never be able to finish, but at the end...I got there. I still can't believe it."

Carver, a native of Eugene, Ore., has been in the Army for a little less than four years. He ended up in Guantanamo Bay in 2007 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I never thought that I would end up here in Guantanamo," Carver said. "I joined the Army after high school to see the world and get a little job experience out of it. Never did I think I would end up here. It is a one of a kind place."

Carver said that the most nerve-racking part of the competition was not knowing how he was doing compared to the other soldiers. The competitors were not given their scores after the board, but everyone had a pretty good idea of how they did from their performance.

"The board members were senior NCOs from the JTF who asked a variety of military questions on such things as Uniformed Code of Military Justice [UCMJ], land navigation, and current events," said Carver. "The challenge wasn't the questions asked, but it was trying to answer the senior NCOs without being nervous and stuttering."

The Trooper of the Quarter board was not the only board Carver had this week. He went before the promotions board on Friday, and did well enough to be recommended for promotion to staff sergeant.

"It has been one of the busiest weeks in my military career," said Carver. "I had the Trooper of the Quarter on Monday and then I had my promotions board on Friday. It was the most studying I've done since I left high school.

"It seems like everything happened all at once. With the two boards this week, and then add in the fact that I start clearing to leave Gitmo in a week to head back to my duty station in Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.," said Carver. "It has been overwhelming, but it has made my last few weeks here at Gitmo fly by. I can't believe that my year here is already over."

His advice to troopers considering going for the boards is "have a positive attitude, relax, have fun doing it, and study the guide given to you by your command."

• Date Taken: 02.14.2008
• Date Posted: 02.14.2008 10:54
• Story ID: 16343