Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith | Staff Sgt. Austin Smith, a Basic Leader Course (BLC) facilitator with 3rd Battalion,...... read more read more
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. - Staff Sgt. Austin Smith, a Basic Leader Course (BLC) facilitator assigned to the 3rd Battalion Noncommissioned Officer Academy, 166th Regiment - Regional Training Institute was named Facilitator of the Year for fiscal year 2024.
To be eligible for selection as 3rd Battalion's Facilitator of the Year, the instructor must first be named Facilitator of the Quarter. The four facilitators of the quarter are then evaluated during a competition board held at the end of the year. This typically includes a verbal and/or written evaluation, as well as a physical assessment including evaluations for land navigation, a ruck march, an Army Combat Fitness Test, and more. The results of the board are used to help determine the Facilitator of the Year.
"It's nice to be recognized for your efforts," Smith said. "Being a BLC facilitator is a demanding job, but it's also very rewarding."
Smith attributes his success to a desire for personal growth and commitment to his students. He claims that after teaching the same curriculum for several years, it's easy for any instructor to become complacent and just go through the motions.
"I learn a lot about myself through instruction," Smith explained. "I try to add a little bit of something extra to each class to keep it energetic and interesting for myself and my students."
Smith got his start at the 166th Regiment in the supply section on Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS) orders in Jan. 2021, but quickly became interested in 3rd Battalion's mission of training and developing enlisted leaders.
"Observing other BLC facilitators motivated me to pursue becoming one," Smith stated. "I noticed the quality of Soldiers working in 3rd Battalion and their high level of expertise and professionalism. It caught my eye."
He then began working as a BLC facilitator in 2022 on ADOS orders. Later that year, Smith was hired into the Active Guard Reserve program and has been instructing BLC since.
BLC facilitators like Smith typically instruct 11 or 12 courses per year. According to Smith, an instructor, on average, has 20 students per course. That's upwards of 240 junior Soldiers per year that an individual BLC facilitator is responsible for training to become competent NCOs. That doesn't account for the hundreds, if not thousands, of other Soldiers outside of an instructor's own classroom that he or she influences yearly as well. Quite the responsibility.
"What we teach here during BLC are the skills and competencies these Soldiers really need to be taking back to their units to be effective leaders," Smith explained. "Things like how to write an evaluation report for your subordinates, or how to follow the Army writing style. A lot of that is taking responsibility and accountability of your Soldiers and putting them first, even before yourself."
Smith has accomplished a great deal during his time as an instructor at the 166th Regiment. He mobilized to Camp Buehring, Kuwait for 6 months to serve as BLC chief of training from May to Oct. 2023. He earned the U.S. Army Basic Instructor Identification Badge and is progressing towards the Senior Instructor Identification Badge. He is a master fitness trainer and has spent numerous hours developing nutrition and physical training plans for fellow Soldiers. The list of achievements goes on.
Seniors, peers, and subordinates alike view Smith as an exemplary leader. BLC Senior Facilitator Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Orner spoke to Smith's character, saying "He is a highly determined and self-driven NCO that strives to perform to the best of his abilities day in and day out. He empowers those around him to exceed the standard and do the best they can as well."
Smith, a Berks county native, currently resides in Reinholds, Pa. with his wife Katie and 3-year-old daughter Josephine.
"When I'm at home it's just family time," Smith said. "We all love the outdoors, so we frequent state parks and enjoy hiking as a family a lot."
Smith currently has eight years of service in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He says he's interested in progressing his military career by becoming a cavalry scout instructor and that he'd appreciate the opportunity to regain some of the institutional knowledge of the 19D career field, though he'd be happy to continue instructing in any capacity.
| Date Taken: | 12.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.06.2024 14:05 |
| Story ID: | 486859 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: | REINHOLDS, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 210 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Pennsylvania
Instructor
Fort Indiantown Gap
Army National Guard
Military Training Instructor
Military Training Leader
