Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Maj. Carl Bellard, Equal Opportunity sergeant major and deployable sexual assault...... read more read more
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By Army Sgt. Abel Trevino
28th Public Affairs Detachment
Respect and selfless service are two Army values that define Army Sgt. Maj. Carl Bellard, equal opportunity sergeant major and deployable sexual assault response coordinator.
The 22-year veteran said prior to making the decision to join the Army, he consulted with his uncle, who had also served with pride in the Army.
"We talked about it and I wanted to experience that feeling of patriotism," Bellard said. "For me, it's giving back to our country, a show of pride and a sense of gratitude."
He enlisted in the Army as a cavalry scout after graduating high school in the small town of Oberlin, La.
After being a Soldier for seven years, he took on the challenge of drill sergeant duty at Fort Knox, Ky. He said training Soldiers and seeing them change over the course of 16 weeks was a memorable job he loved.
"You could see your product at the end as they were getting ready to graduate (and) you could always see how well-trained and disciplined they were," he said. "It was one of the best jobs I had."
But the satisfaction of the job came from the parents on graduation day.
"It's amazing to see parents walk by you and say 'thank you,'" he said. "They can't even realize or fathom the transition their son has made from a civilian to a Soldier. It's a good feeling because I realize I had something to do with that transition."
With his deep-rooted beliefs in personal and mutual respect, it was fitting that he was requested to become an equal opportunity representative as a sergeant first class. It was an opportunity for him to mediate issues directly, which would later be both helpful and rewarding to him as a company first sergeant.
"My duties as a first sergeant were probably the most rewarding to me," he said. "Having the background of an equal opportunity advisor as a sergeant first class and going into a first sergeant position as a first sergeant, I was resolving issues that could have escalated into something (larger)."
Prior to this deployment, he was asked to take on the responsibility of his current position due to his extensive equal opportunity background.
"Interacting at the corps level with divisions and brigades in this environment is rewarding because commanders are directly engaged and they realize the importance of equal opportunity in the Army and in their organizations, which is a win-win scenario," he said.
Bellard added he really believed everyone in the Army, from the lowest private to the general officers, is an important part of the military organization.
"This is an excellent opportunity to serve for the corps commander as his voice to ensure people are treated with dignity and respect," he said. "The simple fact is we're all Soldiers from different backgrounds and different ethnicities and everyone, in my opinion, has something to offer in any environment – especially this environment."
| Date Taken: | 08.27.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2007 01:54 |
| Story ID: | 11982 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 431 |
| Downloads: | 164 |
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