Photo By Darriel Swatts | Pfc. Colton Rowley visually inspects a point of impact from a recent indirect fire...... read more read more
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KIRKUK, Iraq – The various sections that comprise an Army unit usually have a designated non-commissioned officer in charge, called an NCOIC. The NCOIC is a section’s senior enlisted soldier, who helps guide and mentor the younger, less experienced troops.
However, for the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade’s 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, from Fort Wainwright, Alaska, some junior soldiers have stepped into those senior positions.
The 6-17 CAV is a scout helicopter unit currently headquartered in Camp Taji, Iraq, but the unit also operates out of other sites in the country. Due to staffing constraints and the complexities of operating out of different locations in theater, three of the unit’s junior soldiers have had fill senior leader positions at Contingency Operating Site Warrior in Kirkuk, Iraq.
Spc. Miranda Gainer, from Apopka, Fla., has stepped into an NCO role as the logistics section NCOIC for the 6-17. Pfc. Colton Rowley from Duchesne, Utah, is the intelligence, security and operations section site NCOIC for the unit. And Spc. John Pearce from Stockton, Calif., is the communications and information technology section site NCOIC.
The NCO Corps is often referred to as the backbone of the Army. NCOs are leaders and supervisors who are primarily responsible for the execution of missions and for the training of junior enlisted soldiers.
“Through my experience in the Army, I haven’t really seen junior enlisted soldiers act as NCOICs for their sections, other than here,” said 6-17 CAV Command Sgt. Maj. William McGaha, from Baldwyn, Miss. “Here we have these junior soldiers working in NCOIC positions, and they are doing very well in it.”
“Being a specialist in an NCOIC slot, I have to work with people that outrank me all the time,” said Gainer. “They have a lot more experience than I do, so I do my best to take what I can from their experience and apply it to what I do.”
With their newfound responsibilities come challenges.
“Every now and then I encounter some resistance because of my rank,” said Rowley, “but I just suck it up and drive on. All the proof they need is in the final product my section produces.”
“One of the hardest things I’ve had to overcome is that I’m in charge of a couple other specialists,” said Pearce. “I had to learn how to take charge of the situation and make sure what I said was what happens.”
With junior enlisted soldiers acting in roles above their pay grades, their senior leaders have taken special notice of their hard work. They say they know they can depend on these soldiers to carry out any and all orders given to them.
“When my higher-ups come to me, they know they can count on me to get the job done,” proudly stated Gainer. “They know once they tell me something, it will get done to the best of my ability. I’m proud that I’ve proven myself to them well enough that they are able to put their trust in me.”
The 6-17 has placed senior level jobs in the hands of junior soldiers and they are accomplishing the mission on a daily basis due to the training of the NCOs in the squadron in preparation for split base operations.
“It’s a great feeling that you know, as a junior soldier, that you have good NCOs that you will be working for,” said 1st Sgt. Alex Woodell, 1st Sgt. for A Troop, from Stamps, Ark. “Seeing these junior enlisted soldiers step up the way they have, it lets me know that the NCO Corps has done their job training these soldiers, effectively securing the future strength of the Corps.”
These junior enlisted soldiers are acquiring skills and knowledge that they can pass along to their future soldiers upon becoming NCOs, Woodell explained. They can pass on what they have learned to their own troops, thus keeping the backbone of the Army strong for future generations.
“I know when I retire and am out fishing on my bass boat, I’m going to feel safe knowing these soldiers are out there protecting us,” concluded Woodell.
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.16.2011 11:40 |
| Story ID: | 77147 |
| Location: | KIRKUK, IQ |
| Web Views: | 191 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, When in charge, take charge: Junior soldiers lead the way, by Darriel Swatts, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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