Photo By Staff Sgt. Sebastian Rothwyn | U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Curtis Moss, the senior enlisted advisor to the commander...... read more read more
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CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait -- Three candles are lit. Carefully and diligently, the noncommissioned officer, or NCO, discharges the duties of the grade to which they have been promoted.
Ninety NCOs, forward deployed under the command of the 369th Sustainment Brigade of the New York Army National Guard and the 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command of the U.S. Army Reserve, were inducted into the ranks of the professional noncommissioned officer corps during a ceremony conducted by the brigade here at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, on February 18, 2023.
The Army relies on NCOs capable of conducting daily operations, executing mission command, making intent-driven decisions, and are responsible for Soldier readiness while playing a key role in organizational readiness.
This celebration, with hundreds in attendance, was a solemn affair that emphasized and built on the pride shared by all members of such an elite corps. Three candles were lit by Sgt. Teion Middleton, a human resources sergeant with the 82nd Finance Battalion of the storied 82nd Airborne Division. The ceremony also served to honor those men and women of the NCO Corps who served with pride and distinction.
After the national anthem and the invocation, Master Sgt. David Ressler, the master of ceremony assigned to the brigade, spoke about the legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters that stands as an example of the best of America so that those present could appreciate the moment.
Ressler spoke about one particularly bloody encounter the Harlem Hellfighters had in the Argonne Forest of France, on May 14, 1918, in which then-Pvt. Henry Johnson fought off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat. Johnson was promoted to the rank of sergeant upon his return to New York City and posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor on June 2nd, 2015, from former President Barack Obama.
"The Sergeant operates in an environment where sparks fly,” said Sgt. Jeffrey Kemper with the 82nd. “The sergeant can accurately be described as where the axe meets the stone,” he continued to recite. “I am that sergeant!"
Around the room, selected NCOs of increasing rank stood up to recite words that would resonate with inductees on the roles of the NCO up to the first sergeant.
"When you are talking about the first sergeant, you are talking about the lifeblood of the Army,” said 1st Sgt. Shawnta Rood, senior enlisted advisor to the commander of the 101st Human Resources Company of the storied 101st Airborne Division. “When first sergeants are exceptional, their units are exceptional, regardless of any other personality involved,” she continued to recite. “The first sergeant is proud of the unit and, understandably, wants others to be aware of the unit's success. I am that first sergeant!”
The guest speaker of the ceremony was Command Sgt. Maj. Ricardo Saunders with the 143rd ESC, the operational sustainment command in theater.
“As you raised your right hand to join the Army, you became a leader,” Saunders said. “Now you will be charged to build and shape the leaders of the future.”
The newly promoted NCO takes this charge along with upholding the traditions and standards of the Army. The inductees understand that Soldiers of lesser rank must obey their lawful orders and accordingly accept responsibility for their actions.
“Each Soldier is a vital part of your team,” said Saunders. “As a leader, you will always be on watch; setting the tone for your organization.”
As Saunders closed his speech, he spoke about Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston’s initiative called This Is My Squad, or TIMS. The goal of the initiative is to build more cohesive teams throughout the Army.
Saunders encouraged everyone to really understand the people sitting next to them.
“The leader must ensure each member is competent, physically fit, highly trained, ready, disciplined and a part of a cohesive team.”
Saunders continued to encourage all leaders to listen to and understand each member, show compassion and empathy, find common ground with each member, identify risks and stressors, set the culture and motivate to always achieve success.
“Remember that you are a warrior and a member of the greatest team ever assembled,” he said.
As the words “Patton’s Own; First Team; Strong Sergeants,” said by Saunders, were still fresh in the minds of the inductees, they rose to their feet to officially be inducted into the NCO Corps.
The 369th Sustainment Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Curtis Moss customarily held a Soldier’s request as he conducted the official recommendation for induction. Each battalion command sergeant major verbally recommended their sergeants for induction, and each sergeant passed through the arch to be officially inducted.
After all NCOs passed through the arch and Moss recited the charge of the newly promoted NCOs, he answered the request of that Soldier so that each inducted sergeant would be encouraged to apply their core competencies of leadership, communications, readiness, training management, operations, and program management, to support their junior enlisted Soldiers in the four Army learning areas - army leadership and the profession, professional competence, the human dimension, and mission command.
Spc. Jermareya Frederick with the 82nd Finance Battalion requested respectful treatment and understanding to “Be, Know, and Do.”
Spc. Paul Rivera with the 257th Movement Control Battalion requested frequent communication and training to be prepared.
Spc. Sammy Gonzalez with the 369th Special Troops Battalion requested necessities and training to stand ready to defend our country.
Spc. Cory Miller with the 630th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion requested training so that he too could one day earn the title “Sergeant.”
All inducted NCOs resoundingly replied, “I will!”
“A leader does not choose the best or most opportune time to lead,” the ninth Sergeant Major of the Army Richard Kidd said. “A good leader takes the challenge whenever and wherever it presents itself and does the best they can.”
The NCO will not forget, nor will they allow their comrades to forget that they are professionals, noncommissioned officers, leaders!
| Date Taken: | 02.25.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2023 13:46 |
| Story ID: | 439188 |
| Location: | CAMP BUEHRING, KW |
| Hometown: | NEW YORK, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 179 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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