Photo By Master Sgt. Kelly Simon | Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey meets with Pathfinder Soldiers in the 10th Combat...... read more read more
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FORT DRUM, N.Y. - When Pfc. Francisco Malave-Sosa, a petroleum supply specialist with the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, joined the Army out of Puerto Rico, he said he wanted to be a part of something – to wear the uniform he does now like his father and his grandfather before him.
A year-and-a-half years later, he got to be a part of something that was simply “awesome,” as he and his unit got to run during physical fitness with Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey, during Dailey’s first visit to Fort Drum Wednesday and Thursday.
“I was just excited to see him and do PT with him and to see how he was with Soldiers,” Malave-Sosa said.
That’s just one of Dailey’s leadership mantra’s: to start every morning leading your troops in PT.
“PT may not be the most important thing you that day, but it is the most important thing you do every day in the United States Army,” he said during a town hall at the base theater. “You’re gonna hear me say it, ‘if you aren’t out there leading your Soldiers during physical fitness training, then you’re not their leader,’ and that’s the truth.”
Dailey spoke to Soldiers, Families and other members of the community about the importance of overall Army readiness: Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark A. Milley’s number one priority, and in concert with the CoS’ priority, individual Soldier readiness during a time with end-strength reductions.
“Every Soldier’s got to get ready to fight,” Dailey addressed about Soldiers on nondeployment status. “We’ve got to get really serious about that.”
During the town hall, he spoke for more than an hour about the state of the Army, where it’s at and where it’s headed in respect to its current image, physical fitness standards, deployment readiness, promotions, drawdown, recruiting, gender integration, Soldier for Life, civilian certification and credentialing of Army occupations and several other hot topics. He then opened the floor for Soldiers to ask questions on any topic.
“You can ask anything you want,” he told a standing-room only auditorium. “Everything you ask me – unfiltered, they will read; the CSA and Army Secretary are very interested in seeing my travel reports.”
Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Cazinha, a mortar platoon sergeant at 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and a former recruiter, asked Dailey about troubles he saw in recruiting and how it has come affect unit readiness in his experience as a platoon sergeant.
Dailey said he thinks the future is bright for the Army’s recruiting effort and believes that the drastic changes in leadership and culture has been the greatest contribution.
“I wanted to know if there would be any changes in the recruiting atmosphere in how we recruit for Soldiers,” Cazinha said. “In the end, I think he hit it. … it felt good (to ask him).”
Other Soldiers asked about tougher physical fitness test standards, the new maternity leave policy and possibly additions to it, and possible changes to the SHARP policy.
Before departing, he charged Soldiers with the responsibility of helping enhance the Army’s perception as the most trusted organization in America.
During his visit, Dailey took time to visit Soldiers within the Noncommissioned Officer’s Academy; Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention Program; Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program; 1st Brigade Combat Team Dining Facility and a group of new Soldiers during their inprocessing. As Dailey toured the North Country base, he said he couldn’t be prouder of it and the community around it.
“I’ve had a long history of tough fighting alongside 10th Mountain Division Soldiers. … The division, with its traditions and honor, is greatly respected,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of division and this community. It is not the Army’s base. … It’s the community’s base because outside these gates, they’ve got our back.”
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2016 23:08 |
| Story ID: | 187975 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 242 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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