Photo By Lt. Col. Daniel Lonowski | Sgt. Christopher Mancino, Goffstown, N.H., native, serving in 82nd Sustainment...... read more read more
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Many Soldiers try to be the best, but few can claim the title. One non-commissioned officer and one junior enlisted Soldier at Kandahar Airfield were selected as the 'NCO of the Year' and 'Soldier of the Year' for the Joint Sustainment Command in Afghanistan, April 16.
Sgt. Christopher Mancino, a member of the headquarters company in the 82nd Sustainment Brigade, earned the honor of the 'NCO of the year' for the JSC-A while the 'Soldier of the Year' honors went to Spc. Matthew Hernandez, also with the 82nd SB (a member of 5th Maintenance).
The victors will travel to Kuwait, where they will compete for the same title with 1st Theater Sustainment Command. There, Soldiers serving in Iraq and Kuwait as well as Afghanistan will assemble.
"These Soldiers that competed were all very impressive," said Sgt. Major Donell Pelt, the officer in charge of the event. "Their level of confidence, their knowledge ... they were all very competitive. Every Soldier was also highly motivated."
The competition sprang from a four-day process, which required each Soldier to perform a physical fitness test, qualify on the M16 A2 rifle range and assert their abilities in a series of Soldier tasks — medical, land navigation and weapons assembly.
The competing warriors were drilled one-by-one by a panel of sergeants major who tested the Soldiers overall knowledge and confidence in a formal board.
Mancino said he thought any of the five competitors from across the Afghanistan Theater could have won the NCO award.
"This was tough and challenging," Mancino said. "All these [Soldiers] put forth a lot of effort and training. I think they all would represent the JSC-A well at the TSC level."
Hernandez was the only specialist among the competitors.
"I challenged myself to compete against the NCOs," Hernandez said. "It worked out well. The high-speed training from my section paid off."
Mancino has competed in three NCO competitions to get to this level. He said the level of competition has progressively gotten more challenging. He won the award at the battalion level when he competed in the 82nd Special Troops Battalion. He then won the 82nd SB award before winning at the JSC-A level.
The two winners earned Army Commendation medals as well as $100 gift certificates from AAFES and the other competitors received certificates of achievement.
At the next level Mancino and Hernandez will travel with Command Sgt. Maj. Clark Kinder, the JSC-A command sergeant major to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. The competition will take place, May 10-14.
"I will probably take a few days off, "Hernandez said after the awards ceremony. "Then I will begin to train again, even harder."
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 04.19.2010 02:53 |
| Story ID: | 48319 |
| Location: | KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 211 |
| Downloads: | 192 |
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