Photo By Sgt. Terence Ewings | Sgt. Randy Hummelgaard, right, a mechanic assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters...... read more read more
CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq – Newly promoted corporals and sergeants joined the Corps of Noncommissioned Officers during an induction ceremony at Contingency Operating Site Marez, Iraq, May 21.
“Spartan” NCOs of 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division vocally recited the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer and became part of “The Backbone of the Army” during the time-honored tradition.
“Soldiers are stepping up and taking on the responsibility of becoming a leader,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Cassandra Redd, senior enlisted leader for 4th BSTB.
During the ceremony, Redd and several other senior enlisted NCOs assigned to 4th AAB vocally delivered the NCO’s Charge and NCO Creed to the new inductees.
“I feel like a proud parent who is finally letting her children out in the world,” said Redd, a native of Oklahoma City. “These NCOs are going to branch out and do great things for the Army.”
Upon hearing their names announced, the Spartan NCOs stood before unit leadership before crossing the time-honored line signifying a milestone in their military careers and entered the NCO Corps.
The newly inducted corporals and sergeants now return to their respective units as the first line of leadership charged with mentoring and developing young soldiers.
Command Sgt. Maj. Antoine Overstreet, 4th AAB command sergeant major, and guest speaker for the induction ceremony, shared words of wisdom with the young enlisted leaders and asked that they “live the NCO Creed.”
“It was definitely great to have the brigade leadership here to welcome us into the Corps,” said Sgt. Randy Hummelgaard, a mechanic assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th BSTB.
Hummelgaard said his favorite part of the ceremony was the lighting of the red, white and blue candles, which represented the three paragraphs of the NCO Creed.
“Seeing the candles lit and hearing the NCO Creed was very memorable for me,” said Hummelgaard, a native of Kansas City, Mo. “Joining the ranks and having a ceremony to acknowledge you as leader makes everything feel surreal.”
Spartan Battalion deployed to U.S. Division-North in summer 2010 to support 4th AAB’s advise, train and assist mission with Iraqi Security Forces in support of Operation New Dawn.
| Date Taken: | 05.21.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2011 02:46 |
| Story ID: | 71825 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, IQ |
| Web Views: | 82 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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