19th ESC sends message that ‘Every Soldier Counts’ with first Basic Leaders Course

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Frazier | CAMP HENRY, Republic of Korea -- The 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command added another ‘first’ to its long, storied history in Area IV by launching the first non-deployed decentralized Basic Leaders Course, March 13.  

SOUTH KOREA

03.13.2020

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Robert Frazier 

AFN Daegu

CAMP HENRY, Republic of Korea -- The 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command added another ‘first’ to its long, storied history in Area IV by launching the first non-deployed decentralized Basic Leaders Course, March 13.

A group of 45 Soldiers will have the opportunity to locally meet the required Professional Military Education requirement needed to earn the rank of sergeant.

“Welcome to history,” said an enthusiastic Command Sgt. Maj. Laderek Green, 19th ESC’s senior enlisted Soldier, during his opening remarks to the class. “You are the first group to do this. Never forget that this opportunity is one you must make the most of because your efforts will be the standard by which others will use to evaluate this process!”
Less than a month ago, Gen. Robert “Abe” Abrams, commanding general, United States Forces Korea, suspended non-essential travel for military personnel in Area IV. The precautionary move was done with the health and safety of all personnel in mind. However, it also changed plans for many prospective students who were vying to attend the Eighth Army Whiteman NCO Academy located at Camp Humphreys – some three-and-a-half hours away.

“Sergeants major realized Soldiers in Area IV needed to be afforded the same opportunity for Professional Military Education and not be at a disadvantage when it came time for their promotion,” said Sgt. Maj. Fred Mendoza, the Area IV BLC senior enlisted advisor.

Sgt. Maj. Mendoza, along with Sgt. Maj. Larry J. Cuffie III, 19th ESC operations sergeant major, were tapped to oversee the launch of the program by Command Sgt. Maj. Green. Although students will receive instruction through video teleconference, six alternate instructors from across Team 19 will be on site to guide the future NCOs through the 14-day course.

“This is a great opportunity for Area IV units to showcase to Army leaders that even in distributed operations, Soldiers can still receive a quality education through this construct,” added Mendoza. “[Anything] can happen anywhere, and the Army will still operate as it is supposed to. This is another way to display our capabilities.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Green pointed out that the push to get a decentralized course for the Soldiers was another way that leaders across Team 19 are working to reinforce that “Every Soldier Counts.”
The motto was incorporated after Brig. Gen. Mark T. Simerly assumed command in 2019 and has served as a reminder, following the COVID-19 outbreak, that people are the top priority.

Through the charge, the largest non-deployed expeditionary sustainment command in the U.S. Army, continues to lead the charge to ensure readiness and resiliency for all employees and their families within its formation.

The 19th ESC is an extremely resilient group,” added Mendoza. Conducting the Basic Leaders Course here in Area IV is just another part of our process of putting Soldier’s first.”

• Date Taken: 03.13.2020
• Date Posted: 03.13.2020 04:49
• Story ID: 365122
• Location: KR