Sergeant Major of the Army visits 48th Brigade

Courtesy Photo | Thank you - SMA Kenneth O. Preston admitted "America's Army is very busy." But he told the citizen Soldiers of 48th BCT that he is never too busy to answer questions and share a laugh. The Army's 13th appointed senior enlisted Soldier spoke with the assembly about transformation and his appreciation for the contributions of Guard and Reserve units. Read about it in the next edition of LB!  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

09.13.2005

Courtesy Story

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Spc. Tracy J. Smith
48th Brigade Combat Team PAO

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq -- In a visit with Army National Guard Soldiers of Task Force Baghdad Aug. 27, Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston applauded the professionalism of 48th Brigade Combat Team Soldiers and their contributions to rebuilding Iraq.

"America's Army is very busy," Preston told 48th BCT enlisted Soldiers. "The job could not get done without Soldiers like you and the contributions of the Guard and Reserve."

Preston took the opportunity to thank the Georgia Army National Guard unit for being such a vital part of the mission as Iraq is rebuilt. He also discussed the Army's on-going Transformation.

"This is the largest change in our structure since World War II," Preston said. "I've seen the division structure go from an air cavalry unit in Vietnam to being the air/ground unit it is today. I do not mind telling you that that transformation is miniscule compared to what the Army is realizing now."

Preston outlined a three-point strategy of sustaining the life-cycle of the all-volunteer force: growing the size of the deployable force, growing the size of the active-duty force, and rebalancing the strength of the Army. This will give Soldiers a chance to stabilize home life and, in the case of National Guard and Reserve Soldiers, prepare their civilian employers for the possibility of deployment.

"What does that all mean?" Preston asked the audience. "It means predictability and stability. That is what the Army's goal is: to give the Soldier and his family stability and predictability. In order to do that, you have to grow the force. In short, having all the right tools in the tool box so that we can look to the future."

Spec. Heather Vankampen, an intelligence specialist with 248th Military Intelligence Co., 48th BCT, said she's encouraged by the SMA's Transformation outline.

"I know people who left active duty to join the National Guard so that they could spend more time at home," said the Lawrenceville, Ga., resident. "With the plan he described, we will be able to appreciate more time stateside so we can be ready to help in emergencies like Hurricane Katrina."

Focusing on current operations, Preston emphasized the importance of flexibility and mobility for Soldiers as the Army's Transformation continues to take shape.

"You can look at Transformation from a lot of different perspectives," he noted.

"You can look at it from a strategic perspective"becoming expeditionary, getting from one place to another faster. You can also talk about it as being more relevant and ready as an Army -- more relevant as the type of force we are sending and being ready to do the mission on the ground."

As an all-volunteer force, growing the ranks brings about a set of unique, but not impossible challenges.

"This is the first time in our nation's history that we have sustained a long fight with an all-volunteer force," he said. "If you are going to sustain an all-volunteer force, you have to grow more of your deployment force. Right now the Guard and Reserve are helping the Army get through a very narrow Transformation window."

He has high expectations for all U.S. Soldiers and feels the current plan to re-outfit the Reserve components will supplement his 'tool box" toward building success. This means a focus on training, modernizing equipment and eliminating the idea of a part-time Soldier.

Leaders from the 48th BCT said they were impressed by what they heard during the briefing.

"I believe this falls in with the thought process that we need to focus on a more combat-ready Soldier," said 48th Brigade Combat Team Command Sgt. Maj. James Nelson. "Our current role calls for Soldiers who can sustain longer in a scenario that demands an expeditionary troop movement plan, working as a well-oiled machine to get the mission done. This calls for a level playing field for everyone"a unified purpose."

"If it wasn't for the patch you wear on your left shoulder, you could not tell a Guard Soldier from an active-duty Soldier," Preston told the group. "It is one team and one fight."

Preston also praised the 48th BCT for the work it is doing with the Iraqi Army, teaching basic non-commissioned officer leadership skills to the Iraqi Army. This will be the tool needed to give IA leadership the necessary boost and promote success within the IA's ranks, Preston said.

"A plan like the primary leadership development course for the Iraqi Army is a wonderful idea," he explained. "Because you cannot just go out on the street and recruit a sergeant, a first sergeant or a sergeant major. It takes us about 17 years to grow a battalion command sergeant major and we can't expect a short turn like that for the Iraqi Army."

• Date Taken: 09.13.2005
• Date Posted: 09.13.2005 17:06
• Story ID: 2996
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ