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WASHINGTON - To Marine Staff Sgt. Zachary E. Rubart, being a leader is more about taking care of those around you and building them up rather than having them find ways to help build you up.
“The more rank you put on your collar, the more people you work for,” he said. “It’s not the other way around.”
Rubart, the staff non-commissioned officer in charge of Marine Corps Security Force at the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) was awarded the 2015 Military Times Marine of the Year in a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. July 21.
“He is a dynamic leader; always thinking outside the box,” said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Nathaniel J. Jett, WHCA command sergeant major. “Since his arrival he has taken that team [Marine Corps Security Force] to the next level.”
Rubart’s father was a Marine Corps scout sniper in Vietnam. He grew up listening to his father talk fondly about his time with the Marines and became hooked on the idea of joining.
“I was fascinated from that point on, and I kind of knew from an early age that I wanted to be like my dad,” he said.
After 9/11, his desire to be a Marine intensified. He enlisted as an infantryman in 2002 after graduating high school.
“I wanted to be a part of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said.
After basic training, he was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. He deployed twice with the unit, from September 2003 to March 2004 and March to October 2006, each time to Fallujah, Iraq.
“I was still wet behind the ears and they took care of me and really taught me what it meant to be an adult,” he said. “I was raised in Pennsylvania, but I think I really grew up in North Carolina.”
During his second deployment to Iraq, Rubart was injured by a roadside bomb (IED) and sustained injuries to his face, left arm, left hand, right leg and right buttock from the shrapnel. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
After re-enlisting, he became an instructor at the School of Infantry out of Camp Geiger in Jacksonville, North Carolina. He was looking for a way to give back to the next generation of Marines.
“You have the opportunity to mold [new recruits] and train them into what you know can be successful based on your experiences,” he said. “You get to really help shape the future of the Marine Corps.”
In 2010, while assigned to the school, he was selected for a deployment to the country of Georgia to help train their army as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. There he was part of a group that trained two battalions who later deployed to Afghanistan.
He was then assigned to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, with 3rd Battalion 6th Marines, where he became platoon sergeant for the battalion scout sniper platoon. He deployed with the unit to Marjah, Afghanistan from June 2011 to January 2012.
In July of 2012, he was reassigned to Marine Barracks Washington as the platoon commander for the ceremonial guard. On Sept. 16, 2013, he received reports that shots were fired at the Navy Yard. He quickly took action, assembling a reactionary force to help local law enforcement evacuate the chief of naval personnel and other flag officers. They started directing some of the people leaving the scene of the shooting to make sure the shooter didn’t escape the building.
“We did whatever we could to assist with evacuation control and securing the Navy Yard itself,” he said.
This past summer, Rubart was selected to represent the Marine Corps as platoon sergeant for the silent drill platoon. The platoon has performed for the president, secretary of defense, secretary of the navy, senators, congressman and the American public.
“I have been extremely lucky because I’ve had incredible Marines that make me look good,” he said. “They’re that good that they just emanate this incredible discipline and image of what the Marine Corps is supposed to be.”
At his current unit he tries to help mold his Marines and encourages them to give back whenever possible.
“We have an obligation as leaders in the military, regardless of branch of service, to make better Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, Coasties,” he said. “We have an obligation to make them better professionally and personally, and additionally we have an obligation to make better Americans.”
Rubart constantly seeks ways to get involved with community service. While teaching at the School of Infantry, he taught soccer to kids six and under. The silent drill platoon participated in honor flights for World War II veterans visiting D.C. to see monuments and memorials. Upon seeing the Marines, family members of some veterans would come up to greet them. Comments often included things like…“He hasn’t smiled like that in five years.”
“We remind them of their former selves,” he said. “They see us standing there in dress blues with the uniform looking tall and proud and we remind them of what they were. And it’s just…you can’t ask for a better feeling.”
Rubart’s Marines also take part in the Tragedy Assistance Program, helping families who have lost loved ones in combat operations.
“He is one of the finest non-commissioned officers I have had the privilege of serving with across any service,” Jett said. “He is extremely humble and always puts his Marines out there first.”
When asked about the award, Rubart quickly pushed away the praise, pointing to his Marines as the reason for his win.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky to serve alongside such phenomenal Marines,” he said. “This is their recognition, it’s not mine. It wholeheartedly belongs to them. I just happen to be the one receiving it.”
Military Times service members of the year are selected based on their high level of professionalism, concern for fellow service members and their commitment to community service.
The awardees received a week-long all expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. for two. They also received a transferable scholarship for up to $30,000 from Kaplan University and a $1,000 donation to his or her base’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation program.
For more information on the service member of the year awards visit: http://smoy.militarytimes.com/
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2016 23:02 |
| Story ID: | 191669 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Hometown: | PHILADELPHIA, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 189 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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