Photo By Brad Staggs | Sgt. Maj. Roy Hamilton administers the Charge of the NCO to the Indiana National...... read more read more
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CAMP ATTERBURY JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Ind. — In the career of any enlisted Soldier in the Army there are benchmarks that allow an individual to say "I was proud." The promotion from the specialist rank to the non-commissioned officer rank of sergeant is one of those times.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, a ceremony was held at Camp Atterbury to induct 41 of the National Guard's newest sergeants into the NCO corps. Family, friends and co-workers watched presentations explaining the history of the ceremony.
"The tradition of commemorating the passing of a Soldier to a non-commissioned officer can be traced to the Army of Fredrick the Great," explained Sgt. 1st Class Trent Henry, one of the masters of ceremony. "We commemorate this rite of passage to emphasize and build on the pride we all share as members of an elite corps."
Command Sgt. Maj. John D. Gipe, formerly the command sergeant major of the National Guard and currently Special Assistant to the Adjutant General of Kentucky, was the guest speaker for the ceremony. Gipe charged the new NCOs with not only watching out for the Soldiers in their care, but the officers as well.
"We are called the backbone of the Army because everybody looks to us to get the job done," Gipe told the assembled crowd. "And that is exactly what we need to do, no matter what the job is and no matter where the job takes us."
The new NCOs stood together and raised their right hands to take the Charge of the NCO, an oath all new sergeants take in which they promise to uphold the traditions and standards of being a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.
Each new NCO signed his name into the rolls of the NCO corps before passing under an arch which was placed on the stage. The passing under the arch symbolized the lower-enlisted Soldier passing into the non-commissioned officer corps. On the other side, each Soldier was presented a framed copy of the NCO Creed by Gipe and Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Spade, Camp Atterbury command sergeant major.
Coordinators of the ceremony hope that it will not be the last time such an event takes place. The Soldiers being inducted into the NCO corps came away with a sense of honor and achievement, knowing that the rest of their time in the military would be spent being a professional in their fields.
"This is the best ceremony of its kind I've been involved in," said Gipe. "Indiana is really taking care of their people and I would like to see this happen all over the National Guard. Hooah to the leadership here."
Sgt. James F. Wood, the fitness center NCO at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center said he too appreciated the efforts of Camp Atterbury leaders.
"I think what they're doing here for us is a wonderful thing," Wood said. "It really makes me feel like I've gone to another level in my career. I'm standing a little taller today."
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2009 14:42 |
| Story ID: | 38375 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 233 |
| Downloads: | 210 |
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