Photo By Staff Sgt. Tanjie Daniels | Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Roden (left) an infantryman, and Staff Sgt. Zachary Comstock, a...... read more read more
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Two Soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Roden and Staff Sgt. Zachary Comstock of the 188th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division East, decided to do just that by participating in First Army’s second quarter Sergeant Audie Murphy Board.
“I’ve wanted to participate in this board for a very long time but never made the time,” said Comstock, a Military Police Investigator, assigned to 4-306 Brigade Engineer Battalion. “However being here at Fort Stewart, and having leadership like Lt. Col. Morrow, Command Sgt. Maj. Kelly, and Sgt. 1st Class Hutton encouraging me to participate really set me on the path to accomplish what I’ve wanted for so long.”
Sgt. Audie Murphy, was a NCO who, as a squad leader, consistently demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership, professionalism, and regard for the welfare of his Soldiers. The FORSCOM Sgt. Audie Murphy Award (SAMA) is an elite award for NCOs whose leadership achievements and performance merit special recognition.
"It says that the club is reserved for NCOs who have demonstrated exceptionally high standards. When I saw that, I said to myself, that’s where I belong.” Said Roden, an infantryman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 395th Regiment, 188th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division East.
The entire board spanned over three days and included an Army physical fitness test, where the candidates had to score 90 percent in each event; A written exam, used to assess their knowledge using current Army doctrine; a written essay, on current events; and an oral board where they had to demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Roden said this was the hardest board in which he's ever competed.
“Knowing that the questions were going to be situational, and not a typical Q&A format made it almost impossible to know what to expect,” he said. “The questions that the command sergeants major presented definitely challenged your ability to think quickly in regards to leadership, and what you would do given different scenarios.”
Comstock agreed with Roden on the level of difficulty this board presented.
“In other boards you’re typically competing against other competitors for an overall winner; however, with this board you are competing against yourself,” he said. “Having the division command sergeant major as the president of the board as well as the brigade and battalion CSMs as board members also made the environment that much more stressful.”
After spending a grueling 45-60 minutes each being grilled heavily by the board members, each candidate was successfully recommended for both the Sergeant Audie Murphy Award (SAMA) and induction into the club (SAMC).
“It feels great,” Roden said. “I proved to myself that I can overcome my weaknesses through hard work and dedication to whatever it is I aspire to do.”
Comstock kept himself composed under pressure and believed he was lucky.
“Even after the board was over and they said I was being recommended. I was just surprised,” he said.
First Army Division East Command Sgt. Maj. David Bass, who sat as the president of the board said, “I am very proud for what those non-commissioned officers represented not only for themselves but also for the unit.”
| Date Taken: | 03.02.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2021 09:20 |
| Story ID: | 390390 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 3,826 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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