Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston has select troops stationed at Logistics...... read more read more
Story, Photos by Spc. Jeremy D. Crisp
MNC -- I PAO
August 30, 2005
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Soldiers, airmen and non-uniformed personnel stationed throughout Iraq received a special visit from the Sergeant Major of the Army during a three-day tour which began August 27.
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston visited several camps and forward operating bases, thanking troops and civilians for their hard work and dedication, while speaking to crowds about the restructuring of the Army.
"It's one thing to read about what Soldiers are doing here, but it's completely different to sit down and talk with them face-to-face," Preston said.
During his tour, Preston was given the opportunity to see the Common Remotely Operated Weapons System, a new weapons system being implemented in Iraq, and he was given a chance to get behind the controls of the new device.
The CROWS is designed to replace Humvee gunners by using a remotely operated weapon mounted on the top of the truck and is controlled from a command post inside the vehicle.
Preston worked through the controls of the system and asked questions about its operating capabilities before thanking the Soldiers and civilians tasked with implementing the CROWS.
Preston was also shown the M1117 Armored Security Vehicle -- a new vehicle designed for military police -- and an armoring facility where armor plating is added to vehicles. This gave him a chance to do what he likes to do best -- speak with the Soldiers.
"These Soldiers are out here doing real-world missions," he said. "You walk out to a traffic control point and it's hot, it's dusty and there is a lot of traffic. It's important for me to know at that particular moment in time what the Soldiers are thinking â?¦ so senior leaders can really make a difference and improve on where the Army is and identify where we need to go with all of our policies and procedures," he said.
A crowd of several hundred service members gathered at the Morale Welfare and Recreation theater at Logistics Support Area Anaconda in order to hear Preston speak and to voice concerns of their own.
"It's nice to see somebody like that around," said Sgt. Kelly A. Hayes, a chemical operations noncommissioned officer with Company D, 50th Signal Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C. "It's good to have a person in such a high position showing he cares."
Although the restructuring of the Army and its switch to self-sustaining brigade combat teams was something Hayes knew about when she joined the Army, Preston was able to enlighten her on the details during his visit.
"I pretty much knew where the Army was going with its transformation, but not as much as he described," said Hayes, who hails from Atlanta. "I learned about the life cycles, how Soldiers aren't only going to be with the unit for three years, but the chain-of -command and the whole unit will be with there for three years as well. It was nice to here it from the horse's mouth,"
Restructuring of the Army was the focus of Preston's speech, touching on how the Army and its Soldiers have to have 'the right tools in the toolbox" in order to fight the War on Terror.
During the Cold War, "The Army's mission could be related to that of a carpenter being dropped off in the woods, and being asked to only build log cabins." Preston said to the troops. "What tools would you need? A chainsaw, an axe?
"Fast-forward to the present-day mission," he said. "Have that same carpenter dropped off in the woods and not only have him build log cabins, but Strativarius violins, and everything in between. What kind of tools would you need then? â?¦ That is what we are faced with."
Upon conclusion of the speech, Preston went to an area hospital to visit with injured troops, and wrapped up his tour with a look at rest and relaxation operations at the Baghdad flight line.
"The number one issue that troops come to me with is they are concerned about the future," Preston said. "They want to know how much time they will have at home between deployments and what the Army is doing to take pressure off of those units that are deploying on their second rotations.
"That's why it is important for all Soldiers to understand the transformation," he said. "So they can see what the senior army leadership is doing to transform the Army and really take the pressure off units doing back to back deployments."
One measure of pride for the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army is the ability for Soldiers to keep in touch with their families during deployments, he said.
"I'm really very proud of the changes we've put in place for the families out there," Preston said. "Right now we have the greatest connectivity, the greatest lines of communication between (deployed) Soldiers and their families in our history."
While waiting for the plane headed for a one-day tour throughout Kuwait, Preston impressed his feelings about the Soldiers serving in Iraq: "Every time I come back here to visit, I'm amazed," he said.
| Date Taken: | 08.31.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 08.31.2005 13:44 |
| Story ID: | 2874 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 87 |
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