Courtesy Photo | Top enlisted leaders, 1st Sgt. Phyllis Green (center), A Company, Special Troops...... read more read more
By Sgt. Paula Taylor
4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq— The Special Troops "Always Ready" Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division held a non-commissioned officer induction ceremony for 13 Soldiers, May 13, at the Community Activities center on Forward Operating Base Marez.
The names of the inductees were: Cpls. Adolfo Aguirre, Marc Cochrane, Said Lazo-Aguilar, Juan Rodriguez, Eric Rowbottom, and Sgts. Coray Doolin, James Durden, Gary Jimenez, William Patterson, Matthew Picking, Luis Riso, Johnetta Smith, Chad Waagen.
Information systems operator- analyst, Spc. Elvis Cabrera, was the emcee of the ceremony and explained the significance to the attendees and guests.
"As Soldiers, each of today's inductees was recommended for promotion to corporal and sergeant by a series of leaders, starting with their first-line supervisor through their first sergeant, and finally, the command sergeant major."
These recommendations, he said, were based not only on their demonstrated skill and ability, or having met the requirements for promotion, but their demonstrated potential for greater service to the nation.
"They have demonstrated a desire and ability to lead as non-commissioned officers at a level demanded by the NCO corps," Cabrera said. "Having been selected, trained and duly promoted to corporal and sergeant, they now face another transition—their induction into the NCO corps; for being a non-commissioned officer is more than acquiring skills, passing boards and completing courses. It is a change in mindset that says, 'I will be a professional at all times and in all ways. I will care for and train my Soldiers where once I was only concerned with my own training, welfare and mission accomplishment.' Today's inductees have risen to this challenge and are ready for transition into the Corps of the Non-commissioned Officer."
The tradition of commemorating the passing of a Soldier to a NCO can be traced back through history to the army of Frederick the Great.
"Before one could be recognized in the full status of a NCO, he was required to stand four watches—one every four days," he said. "At the first watch, the privates appeared and claimed a gift of bread and Brandy. The company NCOs came to the second watch for beer and tobacco.
Their first sergeant reserved his visit for the third watch, when he was presented with a glass of wine and a piece of tobacco on a tin plate. It was during the fourth watch that the NCOs figuratively crossed the time-honored line. Today we commemorate this rite-of-passage as a celebration of the newly-promoted, joining the ranks of a professional non-commissioned officer corps and emphasize and build on the pride we all share as members of such an elite corps."
Also there to address the inductees was the battalion's senior enlisted Soldier, Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald Cook.
"Inductees, Soldiers like you didn't learn your technical and tactical abilities from officers; you learned them from the non-commissioned officers," said Cook. "NCOs teach, coach and mentor other Soldiers on how to follow and how to lead by personal example. It could be on the drill pad, in the billets, during sergeant's time training, on the firing range, or here in combat. It's the NCO who has the most powerful and lasting effect on a Soldier. You are about to begin what is undoubtedly the most important phase of your career as a young leader—you are now officially considered the proverbial motto, 'The backbone of the Army.' You will be charged with ensuring that your Soldiers are prepared to engage and destroy enemies of our nation. Your leadership and influence will be evident within the battle space by the expertise of the Soldiers you train."
Each inductee was presented with a certificate, a Leader's Book and a CD with basic information to start the NCOs on a path to success.
The ceremony concluded with the reading of the "Creed of the Non-commissioned Officer" and the playing of the Army song.
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2007 08:44 |
| Story ID: | 10523 |
| Location: | MOSUL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 175 |
| Downloads: | 78 |
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