Photo By Derrick Crawford | Sgt. 1st Class Shaun Phillips (left), of San Antonio Medical Recruiting Station, 5th...... read more read more
SAN ANTONIO (May 8, 2018) – When 1st Lt. Apphia Kim recently helped promote Sgt. 1st Class Shaun Phillips to his current rank, he was on top of the world.
Some of it had to do with the ceremony being held 750 feet above the city, but mostly it was because for the second time in a week, Kim helped Phillips mark an important career milestone. She officiated his reenlistment on April 24, and promoted him to sergeant first class in a May 1 ceremony held at the top of the Tower of Americas here.
“This was definitely a great pleasure having her here, and to be able to make the trip out here twice and be a part of this part of my career,” says Phillips, a health care recruiter with 5th Medical Recruiting Battalion’s San Antonio Medical Recruiting Station. “I appreciate that.”
Kim’s participation in these key moments is in keeping with a venerated Army tradition where a Soldier repays the time and care a mentor invested in them.
“It’s such an honor,” explains Kim, currently assigned to the 720th Military Police Battalion at Fort Hood. “I know making promotion to sergeant first class there have been so many people to help him through, but the fact that he asked me, there’s no greater honor than giving a little bit back to the NCO Corps that’s the backbone of our Army.”
The professional relationship between Phillips and Kim dates back to a 2014 assignment in Korea. Then, the experienced noncommissioned officer and the West Point graduate on her first assignment formed a tight team as platoon sergeant and platoon leader.
“Lieutenant Kim is probably one of the most inspiring officers I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” says Phillips, an 11-year veteran combat medic. “She definitely has a passion for Soldiers, and, as an NCO, something I truly respect out of her is she is willing to listen to the opinions or information that NCOs have.
“She’s able to derive her own off of those, but she definitely takes to heart those opinions. I truly respect that out of an officer.”
Kim says in addition to being a new platoon leader at the time, she also filled in as company executive officer and quickly came to value Phillips’ leadership and advice as a platoon sergeant, because she saw how his positive impact extended beyond the platoon.
“He was outstanding,” she says. “Whenever we had a problem, whenever we had obstacles, whenever we had training, we always looked to Staff Sergeant Phillips, at the time, first.
“In that sense I was automatically very drawn to his leadership style and wanted to learn from him. He mentored not only me but the other four lieutenants in our company and our company commander.”
At the same time, Phillips’ appreciation of Kim’s leadership grew, he says, not merely because of her willingness to accept input but in how quickly she put all of the information into action in a way that’s all of her own. He sees nothing but great things in her future, and says, “the Army is going to benefit greatly if she decides to stay in any further.”
For Kim, Phillips has set a high bar by which she now measures other NCOs. When asked his thoughts about being considered a standard bearer, he put it plainly, saying, “It’s a high standard to live up to, but I definitely appreciate and respect being in that position. I really respect her and her opinion.”
Their example of mutual respect carries on the legacy and effectiveness of the Officer-NCO relationship.
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2018 16:20 |
| Story ID: | 276205 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | FORT CAVAZOS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | SAN ANTONIO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 150 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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