Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Houston | Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Carey, a native of Phoenixville, Pa., who serves as the...... read more read more
By Sgt. Whitney Houston
Multi-National Division-Baghdad Public Affairs Office
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Daily, enlisted leaders conduct routine checks and inspections on equipment and personnel to ensure functionality, proper operating conditions, and health and welfare of Soldiers, the Army's most valuable resource.
Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Carey, a native of Phoenixville, Pa., who serves as the senior noncommissioned officer with U.S. Army Forces Command, came to Baghdad to do just that: get a first-hand look at morale, progress and concerns of Soldiers serving with Multi-National Division – Baghdad, July 8.
To ensure the gathering of valid information, Carey's tactic is to look for trends Soldiers and leaders manifest throughout the brigade combat teams, trends that might reveal important insights.
"I want to be armed with the insight of these Soldiers who are over here conducting the mission," Carey said. "I'm going to visit the 4th Infantry Division and the 10th Mountain Division."
Carey says he has to have a broad approach when looking for these patterns to make a sound assessment.
As Carey travels to the division and finds reoccurring issues, he takes them to military leaders who can begin to resolve the issue.
"As the FORSCOM sergeant major travels around the force, if he sees some trends in one BCT that are prevalent in the next, he has data points he can bring to the FORSCOM commander, and more importantly to the Sergeant Major of the Army," said Command Sgt. Maj. John Gioia, senior enlisted leader of 4th Inf. Div. and MND-B. "There's no one between him and the sergeant major of the Army who sets things in motion," he added.
One way Carey says he gathers information is by going incognito to the Post Exchange, or to the dining facility on different installations. He talks to Soldiers one-on-one to get their honest opinions, which are vital to his assessment.
"The Soldiers are more at ease," Carey said. "I get more honest answers from them when the division, brigade, and battalion sergeants major are not around."
By seeking out individual Soldiers, Carey gets a better picture into the average combat Soldier's life and morale, rather than from any second hand opinion or report.
"I wanted to talk to Soldiers and see how they were doing," Carey said about his visit to Baghdad, showing his understanding of troops and their morale.
"We just reenlisted 1,200 Soldiers on the 4th of July, so that tells me morale is pretty high. However, you know these deployments are wearing people down," Carey said. "You probably know some guys who are on their third or fourth deployments, and we're not talking about other services whose tours last only six or seven months. We're talking about a solid year or more."
As a measure to preserve morale, there has been cause for great effort to provide Soldiers a comfortable living environment wherever they may be.
"Morale is as high as it is because we are doing everything we can to take care of their quality of life and posses an overall care and concern for what they're going through," Gioia said. "This is the fifth year of this fight and our Soldiers are doing some incredible stuff, we're asking them to do more than the norm," he said. "They're doing it, and they are doing it extremely well. I'm very proud of what our Soldiers are doing."
During his visit, Carey also recognized the success that MND-B Soldiers have had in the Sadr City district of northern Baghdad as compared to when he was last here.
"I was the corps sergeant major in 2005 and most people would have said there is no way we can do anything in Sadr City, it was just so terrible. So what you all have done is just remarkable," said Carey, in reference to 4th Inf. Div. and MND-B Soldier's efforts to restore peace in the troubled part of the city. "This is a testament of how good this division is. It's a testament to the pressure we've put on the militias, the number of people we've captured, the criminals who have left and the Iraqi army is stronger," he added.
One of the biggest factors in making Sadr City a more secure place is that Iraqi citizens are taking an active stand.
"The Iraqis are becoming more involved, that's the biggest thing that is contributing to the stability here," Carey continued. "They see the benefits of turning this city around."
Many issues and questions were discussed during Carey's visit, and it was evident that the leaders and Soldiers alike were happy to give him input about their areas of operation.
"It was a great opportunity to provide him direct feedback," Gioia concluded.
As impossible a task as it is to satisfy every want and need of every Soldier, leaders at every level commit themselves to consistently provide Soldiers with everything necessary to accomplish their missions. Carey's visit showed that Army leadership at every level is serious about that role and committed to doing their best to safeguard Soldiers and to give credit to the troops for their successes and the sacrifices they make to preserve the rights of their families and the families of the American public.
| Date Taken: | 07.10.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2008 02:50 |
| Story ID: | 21375 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 183 |
| Downloads: | 50 |
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