Photo By Sgt. Maj. Danette Rodesky-Flores | First Army Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers of the Year receive their...... read more read more
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CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER, FLA. - Nestled amongst the moss-laden oaks and Kingsley Lake, just outside Jacksonville, is the perfect vacation spot to relax, unwind and refresh. But for four First Army Soldiers, it was anything but.
The pristine training area was the chosen site for this year's First Army Non-commissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year competition. Despite the proximity of the lake being actually just a stones throw away, these Soldier's paths crossed only the most intense training sites and ranges while at the same time battling the sweltering heat and humidity.
The process for these four Soldiers in getting to the three-star level of the competition began earlier in the year, in January and February, as Soldiers at First Army's 103 training battalions began their journey towards seeking the title as First Army's top NCO and Soldier for 2009. Since First Army is comprised of Active, Guard and Reserve Soldiers, this is one of only two commands eligible to send members representing each component through as competitors.
The grueling matches kept narrowing the field, continuing upward through each level of command, starting at the battalion level event and then onward through to the brigade and then division level, having identified the Division East and West NCO and Soldier of the Year.
The "old man" of the group, 40-year-old Staff Sgt. Gregory S. Pyrek, an Observer-Controller/Trainer with the 5th Armored Brigade, Fort Bliss, Texas. Pyrek is from Castlerock, Colo., and has been with the brigade for three years. He served 14 years on active duty, having last been assigned as an infantryman with the 4th Infantry Division. Pyrek decided to continue his with his military service only this time as a mobilized Army reservist. Pyrek attended this event as the Division West NCO of the Year.
Pyrek said he went into this competition with the mind-set that as an NCO he should be leading from the front and setting the example. "I wanted to show Soldiers what it means to lead from the front and to be the best that I could possibly be. I feel that my combat experience helped me get through this experience, but most of all, being out here with fellow Soldiers and seeing their motivation helped me through."
Another OC/T assigned to the 177th Armored Brigade at Camp Shelby, Miss., is Sgt. 1st Class John Lewis. The 33-year-old, Woodworth. La., native is an active duty field artilleryman who has been at the brigade for eight months. Lewis is the Division East NCO of the Year.
Spec. Kevin S. Jarvis, 22, is a traditional-drilling Army Reserve Soldier with the 3-383rd Battalion, 166th Aviation Brigade, at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Mo. Jarvis is a 68W-Medic from Granite City, Ill., and has been in the Army for two years. Jarvis is the Division West Soldier of the Year.
The competitor newest to the ranks is Pfc. Lamar Gordon-Holmes, 23, with barely 10 months of total service under his belt. The financial management technician is assigned to the 72nd Field Artillery Brigade, Fort Dix, N.J., and hails from Brooklyn, N.Y.
The 158th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division East, was tasked to conduct the competition with the mission guidance to train these Soldiers on individual tasks in a competitive manner, thereby increasing their proficiency while at the same time determining who is the best NCO and Soldier to continue as the First Army representatives.
The four-day agenda consists of a total of 14 areas each with a total point value. The NCO and Soldier who obtains the most points will win this level of competition and proceed as the First Army representative in the next level.
Day One began with Soldier reception and in-processing and ended with two tests — one covering map reading skills and another on general military subjects, such as drill and ceremony, leadership and Soldier knowledge.
Day Two — perhaps the most challenging day — tested all facets of what it is to be a Soldier — motivation, physical and mental determination, skill, strength, knowledge, courage, competence and character.
The sun rose on this day at 6:25 a.m., and the Army Physical Fitness Test started at 5:00 a.m., well before daylight. If it were not for the reflective clothing and belts the contestants were wearing it would have been impossible to follow them around the quarter-mile track, even though portable lighting systems were set up about every 200 meters.
Following a five minute shower and an Meal-Ready-to-Eat breakfast while on the road to the range, the Soldiers had then had to zero their assigned M4 rifles then put 40 rounds on target. Small arms qualification then moved to the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon , having to zero and qualify on that weapon. Time now is 10:30 a.m.
The heat and humidity is building towards the middle of the day and the Soldiers are, and have been wearing Army Combat Helmets with Outer Tactical Vests and Individual Body Armor, plus carrying their individual weapon, water supply, gloves, toiletries and other personal support necessities while on the training sites and ranges.
Onward to the Urban Defense Building, or better known as "The House of Horror," where Soldiers faced an urban combat scenario in a foreign land. There is loud, blaring music, smoke, and sounds of small arms fire, rockets and explosions throughout the building. There are role players inside this building, splattered with fake blood and shredded clothing, shouting out their pain as they simulate various degrees of injuries that our competitors needed to identify and treat accordingly.
The Soldiers were issued Combat Lifesaver bags filled with all the items they should need to treat wounded and injured Soldiers on the battlefield. At first glimpse, the CLS bags look and feel complete, but these Soldiers have come too far to take anything for granted, so they inspect their bags, just to be assured that everything is there that they may need.
Once inside the UDB, there are three or four simulated casualties with gun shot wounds, sucking chest wounds and head injuries. Everyone is treated and reassured by the lifesavers that everything will be o.k. and that they are in good hands.
Once the injured have been treated, it's on to Training Area S3 for the Day Land Navigation course. Our competitors have maybe 10 or 15 minutes to hydrate and getting more nourishment into their systems during the short ride. Will it be enough to get them through the multiple point course?
Their objective is to locate and correctly identify at least three of the five navigation points during the timed event. They have three hours. They are issued a Defense Advanced GPS Receive, a Lensatic Compass, a map, and a protractor. Before they set out, they plot their coordinates in DAGR and check their bearing. The NCOs head out first and the Soldiers move about 30 minutes behind them.
About half way into the allotted time, the first distress call is received. One of the Soldiers has lost his way, cannot find any of his points and may be on the verge of becoming a heat casualty. The Soldier is immediately recovered and returned to the medical vehicles where he is treated for heat exhaustion and given intravenous fluid. Then, one by one, the remaining three Soldiers return to the base, each on the verge of heat exhaustion and also given IVs as a precaution. There are still six more major events to go for the day. As a safety precaution, the Soldiers are given the guidance to stand down on the IBA and helmet — wearing them only when required on the weapon ranges.
Next up, a test of each Soldiers' Army Warrior Task skills, in which six Soldier and six NCO tasks are tested. This portion of the competition provides a physical break to the program, but yet still taxing on the memory recall for procedure and sequence of steps for each task. Simple enough, but if just one step is out of sequence, the task is scored a no-go.
Time now — 5:30 p.m., 1930 on the military clock — and yet again, the Soldiers must confront a test of strength, speed and agility on the timed obstacle course. Climbing, weaving, sliding, jumping, crawling and swinging — all a test of upper and lower body strength, not to mention courage to climb 100 foot ladders - one made of logs and another of rope.
Back into the vehicles for a short respite as the group moves to the Combat Stress Shoot. Soldiers must don their battle-rattle and move at their fastest and safest pace down the 400 meter course. They then stop, lock and load a five-round magazine, firing at a very large Known-Distance target, nearly 10 feet in height. They perform this drill at every 100 meters as they retreat to the start point where there is a humvee, from which they fire their final five rounds from the hood.
Night has fallen — a full days work for sure. The temperature has dropped slightly and there are still two events remaining. The Night Land Navigation course and a 10k Road March. By the time it's all said and done, these Soldiers will have been continuously on the move more than 24 hours straight.
Day Three — up and at it again, with a little consideration for the weary — showtime was 9:45 a.m. for a Combatives Match — NCO against NCO, Soldier against Soldier — all the rules of military combatives were in effect. If one felt there is no way out of their opponents grasp they could "tap out" and relinquish the match to his opponent. The NCO match lasted one three-minute round, before one of the NCOs tapped out. For those spectators present, the Soldiers gave an awesome performance, in a match lasting nearly the full three rounds until one Soldier's choke-hold was forceful enough and a "tap-out" signaled the end.
The last of the outdoor events — the Weapons Proficiency Test. On-line were six different weapons most commonly used by Soldiers — the 9mm pistol, M4 Rifle, M240B Medium Machine Gun, M249 SAW, the MK19 Grenade Machine Gun and the M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun. The objective — to maintain (disassemble, assemble) and perform a function check on each weapon within the time allotted.
Following the weapons proficiency test, Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald Riling, First Army Command Sgt. Maj., praised the competitors. "Each and everyone of you are winners," Riling said to the group, "because you stuck with it all the way to the three-star level. I'm proud of each of you."
Day Four — and no doubt the most nerve rattling event — the Appearance Board in Class A uniform. During this event each Soldier reported to the Command Sgt. Maj.Riling, and six other subordinate Division and Brigade Command Sergeants Major; Command Sgts. Maj. Marvell Dean, Terry Young, Rodney Harris, Anthony Edwards, and Joseph Stout. Each NCO and Soldier was hit with questions which tested their knowledge and ability to think and respond quickly and accurately. The board was not going to give them time to sit and think about each response. They either knew the answer or they didn't. The questions kept coming.
For about two hours all the contestants, their sponsors and those in attendance with a vested interest, remained on pins and needles until the winners were announced during the Awards Luncheon.
Going on to represent First Army is Staff Sgt. Pyrek, the NCO of the Year, and Spc. Jarvis as the Soldier of the Year.
Pyrek said he went into this competition with the mind-set that as an NCO he should be leading from the front and setting the example. " I wanted to show Soldiers what it means to lead from the front and to be the best that I could possibly be. I feel that my combat experience helped me get through this experience, but most of all, being out here with fellow Soldiers and seeing their motivation helped me through."
"I was the underdog in my unit," said Jarvis. "I wanted to prove to other Soldiers in my unit that I could do it. I was the newest member and I didn't have any active duty experience to call upon. But now, this has opened my eyes and it has shown me what I am really capable of doing."
All in all, the competition was close and balanced. Each Soldier presented their individual strong points in the each of the events, which for the most part counter-balanced his opponent's weak points.
Now, it's back to training for the next level — the U.S. Forces Command NCO and Soldier of the Year competition, to be held at Fort Hood, Texas in late July, where the First Army winners will meet head to head with the winners from subordinate commands within FORSCOM.
| Date Taken: | 06.29.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 06.29.2009 14:37 |
| Story ID: | 35758 |
| Location: | CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER, US |
| Web Views: | 898 |
| Downloads: | 620 |
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