Photo By Shelia Fourman | Knocking down the target while in the kneeling position Sgt. Jose Rivas competes...... read more read more
FORT HOOD, Texas - Being the 2010 Fort Hood Non-commissioned Officer of the Year one Soldier soared to new heights by attending the III Corps Non-commissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year competition which was held at different locations on post June 22-24.
Sgt. Jose Rivas is the son of Guadalupe and Socorro Rivas, who joined the military in 2006 and is now a non-commissioned officer assigned to Charlie Company, Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division.
After graduating from Clovis High School in New Mexico in 2003, Rivas attended college and married his wife Amanda. He then joined the Army three years later where he attended basic training at Fort Sill, Okla., and advanced individual training for nine months to become a Satellite Communication Specialist at Fort Gordon, Ga.
After completion of AIT, Rivas returned home to pick up his wife and move to Fort Hood which they now consider home. Once at Fort Hood, Rivas got the good news that he was going to be a father and his son, who is now three, would have not only a Soldier but a strong leader as a father.
“I joined the Army to serve my country and provide for my family,” Rivas said.
“As a young Soldier and being new to the military when I was a private first class I chose not to be like my peers who where partying and drinking, instead I developed study habits that would help me throughout my military career,” Rivas said. “So I started studying for the company and battalion Soldier of the Month boards.”
Now only being in the military for three years he juggles more than his share by being a husband, father, Soldier, college student, and regular board attendee.
“I have attended more than 12 boards so far throughout my military career,” Rivas said as he vividly recalls each event.
Even though he just returned from his first deployment to Iraq earlier this year, he still managed to find time be a family man and to attend several boards and college.
Throughout his military career he has had many obstacles to face but the biggest struggled for him was time management. “It is so hard to focus on three or more aspects at a time and all day at the same time,” Rivas said. “I enjoy being a dad to my three-year-old son, a Soldier, and a husband so time management is important.”
Rivas attended the 1st Cavalry Division board followed by the Fort Hood board earlier in the year upon return from Iraq and won to become the 2010 Fort Hood NCO of the Year. As the winner of the installation board he attended the III Corps NCO/SOY competition.
This competition is only “a stepping stone into being an Army leader,” Rivas said.
The NCO/SOY competition was very hard and took a lot of hard work to study the material brought forth by the board, but with his dedication to duty and his loyalty to his family he did whatever it took to be successful at his job.
“Each board is different because it is good for Soldiers to show their knowledge of tactical and technical proficiencies,” Rivas said. “Boards make better leaders, keeps you aware of the Army culture, and prepare Soldiers for the Army life style.”
During the III Corps NCO/SOY competition there were several events. Day one kicked off its morning with an Army Physical Fitness Test with a board hosted by several command sergeants major in the afternoon. Day two he qualified at the range testing his marksmanship skills with a M4 and conducted five warrior task and drills to include call for fire, and assembling four completely disassembled weapons in ten minutes that were place in a box all together.
“This board was one of the most challenging boards that I have attended thus far,” Rivas stated.
However he did not do it by himself; he had the help of his wife Amanda. Amanda helped him study, put together his uniform and recite regulations and even the NCO Creed. “Amanda is my inspiration in being educated,” Rivas said. “By her helping me it helped us grow as an Army family.”
As he has appeared before different boards she has been right there by his side.”My wife is my inspiration and she has made it a point to me that I must seek higher education on the military and civilian side,” Rivas added.
“I feel that his job and education is important to him so it is important to me,” Amanda stated who is now pregnant with their second child. “I love to see him do well but there are limitations to how much I can help him because I’m not in the military.”
Even though she is pregnant she still found the time to help her husband prepare for the NCO/SOY competition. “I will always find the time to get my education and so will he,” she stated.
“Growing up I came from a very humble background,” Rivas said. His parents moved from Mexico to the U.S. in the late 1970’s so they could establish a better life for their children. “My father is my role model because he provided for my family,” Rivas stated. ”I want to be like my father, a provider that would sacrifice everything for my family,” he stated.
Rivas’s father and wife is not his only inspiration, but one of his older brothers joined the military in late 2007. Rivas and his brother got the chance to spend a week together down range. “We talked about Army leadership and how we make changes in our units and the Army,” Rivas stated. “I admire everything that my brother has gone through. I have talked to him about going to the boards and he will attend his first one when he returns from Iraq,” Rivas said as a big smile came upon his face with the mention of his older brother. “I look up to my brother and I want him to succeed.”
Rivas also attends the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton where he will graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s of Art in Spanish.
Many people let alone Soldiers in the military have as many as one influence or inspirational person throughout their lives but Rivas has more than three.
Going to the board and being an Army leader is hard work that sometimes takes long hours but it is “one of the most challenging but rewarding jobs I have ever had because as an NCO we are in the business of training and educating Soldiers,” Rivas said. “We must be proficient and professional in what we must teach them.”
“To be a NCO you must be a leader, directly influence and inspire Soldiers,” Rivas stated. “Boards give Soldiers like myself the confidence to be a role model to younger Soldier especially during deployments.”
“My job as an NCO is to ensure that the Army’s most valuable source is taking care of which are the Soldiers,” said Rivas.
“I love what the Army has given me and my family,” Rivas said.
With a daughter slated to be born in September and achieving one stepping stone in his military career by attending the III Corps NCO and Soldier of the Year competition he plans on attending the Sgt. Audie Murphy or Sgt. Morales board. After graduating college this winter he also plans to attend the Officer Candidate School.
Rivas plans on staying in the Army and retiring.
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2010 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 52104 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 273 |
| Downloads: | 136 |
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