Photo By Staff Sgt. John Onuoha | YAVORIV, Ukraine - Sgt. 1st Class Donald Baker, a medic platoon sergeant with 6th...... read more read more
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By Spc. John Onuoha, 6-8 CAV., 2IBCT UPAR
YAVORIV, Ukraine - The Troopers of 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division have proven that, even while on mission, there are no limits to professional and personal growth.
Since their arrival here in July they have conducted numerous professional development courses including a team leader course, monthly promotion boards, and are currently organizing a Basic Leader Course. In addition, three Mustang troopers recently graduated from Air Assault School in Germany.
“We are thinking outside the box on how we can develop them (Mustang Soldiers) and have fun at the same time,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Oliver.
Mustangs used the team leader course to prepare future leaders for the next step in the careers. The class taught them how to be effective leaders who demonstrate high standards and discipline. They were also shown how orders are relayed from higher commands to subordinates and how to properly accomplish every task as a leader.
“During the team leaders course we learned different ways to be a better leader,” said Spc. Lee Sarduy, a scout with 6-8 CAV. “It prepares you for the next step in your career. A lot of us in the class were junior Soldiers and it was a good experience for us to know what is expected of us when we become NCOs.”
Sarduy said the most important thing he learned through the Soldier developmental courses was that every Soldier is different, and knowing that makes a huge impact in the way leaders communicate and lead.
The courses were designed to develop Soldiers at all levels by having leaders teach the junior enlisted. This method provided the opportunity for not only the junior enlisted to learn but also the instructors, according to Master Sgt. Travis Ellis, operations Sergeant Major for 6-8 CAV.
“The best way to learn anything is to teach it because you have to do all the research, preparation and coordination for it,” Ellis said.
The Mustangs have seized upon various opportunities to develop their Soldiers outside of the classroom as well. They continue to work closely with their Ukrainian counterparts to share their knowledge, but also to learn from the Ukrainian Soldiers as well.
“The more exposure you have to things, the more ability you will have to shape and know things,” Oliver said. “You are only limited by what you know. Once a Soldier is informed and can understand what the bigger mission is, the Soldier will definitely do better.”
According to Oliver, every Soldier needs a mentor. Having mentors while going through professional military education and different leader professional development courses adds something new to a Soldier’s knowledge, which improves them professionally.
“An organization must be a learning organization to be successful,” Oliver said. “If not, they will become stagnant and they will not be able to grow further than their capabilities. It is my obligation to ensure that our organization is a learning organization that can continue to press forward and take every hill.”
Oliver offered words of advice that will help Soldiers understand the best approach toward professional development in order to excel.
“I will tell them (Mustang Soldiers) to be open minded,” Oliver said. “The way you go into things is typically the way you come out of it. So if you go in being negative you will not learn anything and it is a waste of time. But if you go in with a positive mindset, eager to learn, you will come out of it with knowledge.”
6-8 CAV is deployed in support of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine whose mission focuses on building a sustainable and enduring training capacity and capability within the Ukrainian land forces.
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.24.2016 03:19 |
| Story ID: | 210512 |
| Location: | YAVORIV, UA |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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