Fort Carson soldier reflects on nearly 20 years of service

ISAF Regional Command South
Story by Sgt. Antony Lee

Date: 02.28.2014
Posted: 02.28.2014 09:31
News ID: 121320
Fort Carson soldier reflects on nearly 20 years of service

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Sergeant 1st Class William Northcut was a 27-year-old police officer in small-town Georgia when one of his older brothers talked him into giving the military a shot.

Northcut, an Eastman, Ga., native, enlisted into the U.S. Army in April 1994. His recruiter didn’t have to ask what job he wanted, Northcut said. He knew from the start he wanted to be an infantryman – the same job his older brother had in the Army.

Nearly 20 years later, Northcut looked back on his Army career from Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, where he has been serving with 4th Infantry Division as a senior movement noncommissioned officer for the logistics section at the Regional Command (South) headquarters.

“I think it’s been successful to get this far,” he said, adding that he feels he has “six good ones left” in him before he retires from military service.

Northcut, who arrived at Fort Carson, Colo., in March 2013 before deploying to southern Afghanistan a few months later, says he continues to serve in the Army to support his family. He has a wife, a 21-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son, and he comes from a large family: Northcut is one of 13 siblings. Two of his older brothers have served in the Army.

“That’s the reason I’m still in the uniform: Family,” he said. “It’s something I get to give back to my family – being able to serve my country.”

Northcut was an infantryman for 14 years before he re-classed and became a transportation management coordinator.

“Every day I miss it,” he said about being an infantryman, adding that a hip replacement is the reason he had to re-class.

As senior movement NCOIC for 4th Infantry Division, Northcut manages units in RC(S) and helps them with the reduction of containers. His job includes tracking inventories and observing containers that must be repaired.

Serving with coalition forces in Afghanistan – including service members from Australia – has been one of the best parts of his deployment, Northcut said. He enjoys working side-by-side with them in accomplishing the shared mission of helping train and advise Afghans.

Northcut is a big Georgia Bulldogs fan. When he was in his home state for his rest and recuperation leave, he and his wife attended a football game in Atlanta on Nov. 30, 2013, when Georgia defeated rival Georgia Tech in a double-overtime victory.