Photo By Master Sgt. Michele Hammonds | Staff Sgt. James M. Lowry receives congratulations from a Sergeant Audie Murphy Board...... read more read more
Subscribe
by Master Sgt. Michele R. Hammonds
1st Sustainment Command (Theater) Public Affairs Office
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Sgt. Audie Leon Murphy became a legend in his own time by making a name for himself as a war hero on the battlefields during World War II – earning every medal for valor including the military's highest award, the Medal of Honor.
It only seemed fitting that the elite club for noncommissioned officers which carries his name would be up and running in a combat zone such as Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
Sgt. Audie Murphy Club board members wanted to take full advantage of the Soldiers' deployment time here. Board members, along with the Area Support Group-Kuwait SAMC, held the fourth quarter, U.S. Army Central Command Sgt. Audie Murphy Board at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Sept. 28. Twelve NCOs from Afghanistan and Kuwait passed the board and will be inducted in the Third Army/USARCENT SAMC this month.
Three of the 12 Soldiers scheduled to be inducted are Staff Sgt. Patrick L. Gonzales, of the 14th Theater Movement Control Battalion, 640th Sustainment Brigade; Staff Sgt. Oscar Llamas, 10th Transportation Company, 640th Sustainment Brigade; and Staff Sgt. James Lowry, 25th Signal Battalion; so impressed board members that they presented them with three military coins each for their presentations.
"I was pretty excited about that," said Gonzales, a 31-year-old Mexico native, whose goal is to one day become a command sergeant major. "I was confident and I knew what I was doing. When they dismissed me, three out of the four board members gave me coins."
1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Command Sgt. Maj. Jorge Ortiz added, "Those were the three individuals that definitely exceeded out of the rest of the candidates ... the kinds of leaders we are looking for."
Gonzales attributed his success at the board from fellow Soldiers and NCOs from his unit and the support from his wife, Letty.
"I feel motivated because ... I take pride in everything I do," Gonzales said. "I received a lot of support from my unit and my family."
Although Gonzales, Llama, and Lowry stood out from their peers, Ortiz quickly added that all of the candidates went through a six-week period in which they studied Murphy's life. They had to know when and where he attended basic training and advanced individual training, the movies in which he acted and songs he wrote.
"The candidates demonstrated performance and inherent leadership ability similar to Audie Murphy," said Ortiz, a 38-year-old California native.
The candidates spent three months studying and preparing for the board. They attended study group for several hours on Saturdays. In addition to learning about Murphy, they studied the NCO Creed and its history and a host of military subjects all aimed at enhancing their leadership skills.
Staff Sgt. Karee N. Roberts, 1st Sustainment Command (Theater)'s human resources NCO, said the study group helped boost her confidence for the board. Roberts admits feeling nervous prior to going before the board members.
"I was nervous before I knocked on the door, but once I was in front of the board members, I was confident because I was trained and prepared and it was show time," said the 30-year-old Jamaican native.
Keisha T. Hall, a financial management NCO in the 1st TSC recalled being nervous when she first appeared before the board.
"I did not know what to expect," said the Cairo, Ill., native. "But I made sure I listened to the questions and I thought it through before answering and everything just started to flow."
Hall really didn't really need to worry; she was one of the Soldiers who received a coin. "I was shocked that I got it," she said. "But I felt like I had done pretty well at the board."
Ortiz encourages NCOs interested in joining the elite Sgt. Audie Murphy Club to pursue it with all they have.
"You have to breathe, eat ... and practice on how to become a Sergeant Audie Murphy member," he said. "I am happy that we are continuing with the Sergeant Audie Murphy tradition and hopefully we can see more candidates at the next board."
While Murphy lived and died before all of the candidates were born, his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of NCOs that have gone on to become official Sergeant Audie Murphy Club members, and become better NCO's in the process.
| Date Taken: | 10.12.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 10.12.2007 08:38 |
| Story ID: | 12872 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 744 |
| Downloads: | 510 |
This work, Soldiers take top honor in Sergeant Audie Murphy Board, by MSG Michele Hammonds, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
