FORT LEE, Va. - Twenty-seven Quartermaster School instructors were awarded Basic Army Instructor Badges during a ceremony Monday at Challen Hall’s Mullins Auditorium.
The ceremony’s host, Command Sgt. Maj. Jimmy J. Sellers, regimental CSM, QM Corps, presented badge certificates to recipients to commemorate the occasion. He was joined by the senior enlisted Soldiers from each department.
It was the school’s first such ceremony since last year’s implementation of the Army Instructor Development and Recognition Program. IDRP seeks to promote instructor achievement through a program of personal and professional growth.
Sellers, still in his first year as the school’s senior noncommissioned officer, said the badge, which is worn on the uniform, is an acknowledgement of how critical instructor positions are in today’s Army.
“Being selected to serve as an instructor is considered to be a career-enhancing or broadening opportunity provided by the Army,” said the 25-year Soldier. “Previously, assignments as instructors were not viewed as career-enhancing. It was not as highly regarded as a drill sergeant or AIT platoon sergeant, for example. However, I think with the advent of the three instructor badges, we have a paradigm shift in the way instructor assignments are being viewed. Because of this, assignments here and throughout TRADOC are more appealing to our NCO Corps.”
Under the IDRP, three instructor badges – basic, senior and master – are available to Soldiers who undertake a credentialing process. In order to be awarded the BAIB, instructors must undergo a rigorous certification program that includes requirements at the Army, Training and Doctrine Command and local command levels. Among them are the completion of at least 80 hours of platform time as a primary instructor and two separate evaluations 30 days apart. The criteria is greater for earning the senior and master badges.
Staff Sgt. Ace Griffin, assigned to the Aerial Delivery and Field Services Department, said the certification process and award presentation places importance on the mission instructors undertake.
“This means a lot,” said the shower/laundry and clothing repair instructor. “It means somebody is recognizing the hard work we do, and wants to emphasize the position so we will always get the recognition. We get to wear this on our uniforms always; it’s something we’ve earned and no one can take it away from us.”
Aside from the recognition, Griffin said the badges convey an important message to students.
“I wanted to let my Soldiers know I earned this,” he said of his efforts to earn the badge. “It is completely voluntary, but I wanted to show my Soldiers they can continue to strive and earn something like the instructor badge for themselves.”
Sellers closed the ceremony by saying the ceremony could be a marker for many more instructors to earn not only the basic badge but the higher level awards as well.
“I hope today inspires all instructors to obtain their two-rubric evaluation in order to obtain the badge,” he said, “as well as inspire those who met the requirement for the basic badge to not rest on their laurels and strive for excellence in earning the senior badge.”
Currently, there are 323 instructor-Soldiers assigned to the QM School. Thirty-one meet the requirements to wear the Basic Army Instructor Badge.
Date Taken: | 12.16.2015 |
Date Posted: | 12.16.2015 16:39 |
Story ID: | 184707 |
Location: | FORT LEE, VIRGINIA, US |
Web Views: | 423 |
Downloads: | 2 |
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