JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – The 593rd Sustainment Brigade, Special Troops Battalion, held a seminar to develop personal and professional knowledge, and build esprit de corps among the unit noncommissioned officers and commissioned officers during leadership development week, May 28-31.
During the first two days, soldiers reviewed topics such as putting together leader’s books, leading warrior task training, administering the Army Physical Fitness Test and conducting pre-combat checks and inspections.
“It’s a good refresher over things that leaders should do. We talk about Army values, and talk through scenarios where we discuss the correct course of action,” said 1st Sgt. Sonya Jackson, 22nd HRC, a Moultrie, Ga., native. “We also attended classes on the proper procedures for building NCO evaluation reports.”
On day three, participants ran through the JBLM-North obstacle course, and confidence course.
On the last and final day, they accepted an invitation to partake in what has become known as I Corps Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell’s “Gauntlet” physical training.
This was the first leader development week, and the battalion plans to start having them on a quarterly basis.
“We brought first sergeants along with platoon sergeants and platoon leaders together in a forum that would allow us to develop outside of the everyday ins and outs,” said Maj. Belinda Mood, commander, 22nd Human Resources Company, from Elloree, S.C.
To bring the week to a close, the battalion participated in a brigade-wide noncommissioned officer induction ceremony at Carey Theater.
Sgt. Quoc Thanh Dinh, a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive specialist assigned to 24th Quartermaster Company was among the 18 noncommissioned officers inducted.
Dinh grew up in Chicago, and joined the Army almost three years ago. He recently earned the title as 593rd Sustainment Bde.’s Noncommissioned Officer of the year.
“It means a lot to me, to count as a peer among those leaders who mentored me,” said Dinh, who was promoted to sergeant in May. “I’ve learned a lot from past mistakes and I’ve been lucky enough to learn from leaders I respect.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Taylor, 593rd Sustainment Bde., offered some words of advice for the unit’s newest noncommissioned officers. Taylor, a native of Lexington, Ky., was the guest speaker for the induction.
“One of the great things our Army does is train soldiers to be leaders,” Taylor said. “Through all the changes the Army goes through, what remains constant is the responsibility entrusted to noncommissioned officers to lead, train, take care of and serve as a role model to soldiers.”
Next quarter, the battalion will continue this education and training program to encourage dialogue, educate, train and inspire members of the 593rd STB on the meaning and practice of the Army Profession.