3-15 Soldiers Mettle Tested; Wins Iron Sergeant Award

Photo By Spc. Jordyn Worshek | Spc. Rayquan Rodgers, an infantryman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, receives the Iron Sergeant Award from Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Coffey, the senior enlisted Non-Commissioned Officer of the 3rd Infantry Division, during the Basic Leader Course graduation ceremony at Fort Stewart, Ga., Nov. 27. The Iron Sergeant award signifies that Spc. Rodgers achieved the highest score in the Army Physical Fitness Test during the course. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Jordyn Worshek, Released)  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

11.27.2019

Story by Spc. Jordyn Worshek 

3rd Infantry Division

An infantryman from 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, steadies himself with a deep breath of anticipation, tucked behind a line of trees. The cool air fills his lungs as the morning sun warms his skin, his pulse heavy and deliberate under its surface.
Then, almost reflexively, Spc. Rayquan Rodgers is sprinting forward. His heart outpaces his feet while storming the field with his comrades. Smoke clouds his vision as he leaves the cover of trees behind. Rodgers and the rest of his element fall in behind their small group leader, out of breath but dignified and determined.
There is no enemy to fight on this day. Families, fellow Soldiers, and community members are gathered to celebrate victory and achievement. Rodgers doesn’t smile, but his heart is filled with pride. He and his comrades are celebrating their graduation from Basic Leader Course as class 02-20, at Fort Stewart, Ga., Nov. 27, 2019.
BLC grooms and tests new leaders’ capabilities, priming them to assume the rigors and challenges of a Non-Commissioned Officer. During BLC, all attendees take an Army Physical Fitness Test. The APFT tests Soldiers on their upper and lower body endurance with two minutes of as many push-ups and sit-ups they can perform as well as a timed two-mile run.
Rodgers accumulated 297 out of a possible 300 points during his course APFT, besting his entire class and earning the Iron Sergeant Award. Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Coffey, the senior enlisted NCO of the 3rd Infantry Division, presented Rodgers with the honor.
After receiving the award, the Jacksonville, North Carolina native reflected on an inner fire earlier in life that conditioned him to perform well in heated situations.
“I wanted to be a fireman growing up. I realized that when I did firefighting as an extra course in high school, it was more demanding than I thought it was going to be,” Rodgers said. “The wait times to be promoted are also really long so I decided the Army was going to be the best bet for me.”
Once Rodgers became slotted to attend BLC, he was dialed in. He found it easy to stay motivated, helping him achieve the Iron Sergeant Award.
“The small group leaders and my peers were highly motivating. When I got there, I thought everyone was going to be all sad and hating their life, but it was actually the opposite, “Rodgers said. “They were very motivated and encouraged everyone to do better. We all pushed each other and my SGL’s pushed us to try our best.”
“Getting the Iron Sgt. Award was a big accomplishment for me. With me being so small and a tinier guy, it’s hard to win a PT based award. But it made me feel super proud of myself and made me realize I could hang with the bigger guys. It made me feel great.”
Rodgers emerged from his BLC experience even more driven to become a great leader.
“I look forward to teaching and leading the guys under me. I am in a squad leader position right now as a specialist, and I can see the other guys look at me for guidance, so me being able to be an NCO is a big chapter in my life. I’m looking forward to it and being able to lead my guys in the right direction,” Rodgers said.

• Date Taken: 11.27.2019
• Date Posted: 12.10.2019 09:39
• Story ID: 354971
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US