Photo By Jean Graves | Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital conducted a ceremonial cake cutting during their...... read more read more
FORT POLK, La. — Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital laterally promoted 10 eligible specialists to the rank of corporal June 14 as part of their 246th Army Birthday Celebration.
Army Directive 2021-17 dated May 21, 2021 states that the corporal rank will only be worn by Soldiers who have been recommended by a unit-level promotion board to sergeant and who are graduates of the Basic Leader Course.
According to Technical Circular 7-22-7 “The Noncommissioned Officer Guide” corporal is the first rank of a noncommissioned officers. Corporals serve as team leaders and are responsible for the individual training, personal appearance and cleanliness of Soldiers.
According to the updated policy the corporal rank will visually signal that the Soldiers who wear it have transitioned from the junior enlisted ranks to become members of a professional NCO corps, the backbone of our Army. This effort reinforces “This Is My Squad” throughout the NCO corps and forms a key component to a comprehensive junior leader development program.
BJACH Command Sgt. Maj. Alexander Poutou said the rank of corporal was established in 1775 and is the only one that has never disappeared from the NCO ranks.
“I thought it fitting to implement the new directive by promoting all eligible specialists on the Army Birthday,” he said. “This change is part of a comprehensive effort to improve junior leader development and an initiative of the Sergeant Major of the Army.”
During the promotion ceremony Poutou shook the hand of each Soldier after he placed the chevrons on their chest beginning their journey in the NCO Corps.
“I think this is an exciting change,” he said. “I’m reminded of something former Sergeant Major of the Army William J. Gates once said ‘The greatness of our Army has always been the ability of our Soldiers who serve in the ranks to rise to the challenge against the odds, in the face of danger, and win.’ Now it is time for these young corporals to rise to the challenges that lay before them.”
Following the promotion ceremony the BJACH command team, along with the oldest and youngest Soldiers in attendance, cut a cake to celebrate the Army’s 246th Birthday.
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.15.2021 17:24 |
| Story ID: | 399001 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 303 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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