Photo By Angelina Betran | Dave Engbrecht, director of Fort Leonard Wood’s Homeland Defense Civil Support...... read more read more
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — While Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer were on Fort Leonard Wood for the Protection and Maneuver Support Senior Leader Forum July 23, they took time to speak with service members, hand out coins and observe training.
“Fort Leonard Wood plays an important part in the Army’s ability to deliver combat ready formations to the force. The Soldiers, families and civilians serving here should be proud,” the Chief of Staff of the Army said. “The education and training the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence does each day is a perfect example of mastering fundamentals. The solid foundation provided to Soldiers here will directly contribute to the lethality of our Army for years to come.”
Weimer started his morning by joining Soldiers from the 701st Military Police Battalion for physical readiness training, then had breakfast with drill sergeants and instructors from the 1st Engineer Brigade, 3rd Chemical Brigade and 14th Military Police Brigade.
“Having breakfast with the Sergeant Major of the Army gave me a sense of connection and camaraderie. It's a chance to see the human side of someone in such a high-ranking position and to understand their commitment to the Soldiers and the Army’s mission,” said Sgt. 1st Class Wendy Garcia-Mendez, a senior drill sergeant with Company E, 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment. “The experience was motivating and enlightening, offering a deeper appreciation for the challenges and responsibilities faced by senior leaders in the military.”
Garcia-Mendez said it was a rare opportunity in her career and she felt fortunate to have the “unique chance to ask questions and gain insights into the SMA’s perspective on current issues facing the Army.”
Later in the morning, George and Weimer provided remarks in Lincoln Hall Auditorium, centering on George’s four focus areas since taking the Army’s top uniformed position — warfighting, delivering combat ready formations, continuous transformation and strengthening the Army profession.
They closed the symposium by taking questions from Soldiers in the audience.
Following the discussion, the Army’s top leaders visited Hoge Hall, where they recognized excellence by presenting coins to several Soldiers.
One of those coin recipients, Capt. Michael McCallister, the assistant integration officer for the Combined Arms Integration Division of the Fielded Force Integration Directorate under the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, said it was a “humbling and wonderful experience.”
“The personal attention and interest from senior leaders demonstrate the importance of your work. I view it as more expectation than accomplishment. The experience instilled in me an expectation to continue to perform in a manner deserving of it,” McCallister said.
George and Weimer received a windshield tour of housing areas on post before meeting battalion-level commanders for a lunch at Bldg. 6111, the Army Warrior Restaurant known as Celiz Hall.
From there, they visited Range 3 enroute to the Homeland Defense Civil Support Office, where they closed out their day on Fort Leonard Wood by viewing Urban Search and Rescue training at Training Area 235.
Additional photos from their visit — and from the three-day Protection and Maneuver Support Senior Leader Forum — are available to view and download on Fort Leonard Wood’s Flickr page.
| Date Taken: | 07.23.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.30.2024 09:29 |
| Story ID: | 477330 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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