Photo By Sgt. Joseph Guenther | Sgt. Jason Thomas, an infantryman with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Two Panthers pulled off what may have been considered impossible March 20, 2012, when they emerged as the winners of this year’s 82nd Airborne Division Non-commissioned Officer and Paratrooper of the Year competition.
Pfc. Jeremy Shivick and Sgt. Jason Thomas, both infantrymen with 1st Platoon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, competed at the division level after winning the brigade NCO and Trooper of the year board March 5, 2012.
Paratroopers, representing each of the brigades in the division began the competition, March 6, with the Army Physical Fitness Test at Ritz Epps Physical Fitness Center. Shivick and Thomas outshined the rest of the competitors as Shivick completed the two-mile run with the fastest time, lapping most of the other candidates around the stadium track, while Thomas notched the highest score.
Shivick and Thomas dominated the competition beyond the APFT, as candidates proceeded to the range to compete in marksmanship.
At each event, Shivick and Thomas made the tasks look easy. Both Paratroopers finished first in the land navigation event and ranked high among the list of competitors on the soldier’s written test, warrior tasks and battle drills.
The board, which was the final event of the competition, was held at Gavin Hall, March 9, 2012.
“The board was pretty straightforward," Shivick said. “The board members asked questions and I answered them.”
“It was intimidating at first,” Shivick said, “but once I started answering questions right, everything just started having a rolling effect and just went from there.”
Once the board ended, each of the competitors and their sponsors gathered into the board room to hear final statements from the Task Force All-American Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Steven L. Payton.
“I’m honored to serve with such outstanding Paratroopers as you,” Payton said. “You’ve proven your commitment to excellence by representing your units and giving it your all. This is a major step toward becoming great leaders. Congratulations.”
After the winners were announced 11 days later, Thomas said “It feels good. It’s nice to know I have something to show for how hard I’ve worked, not only over the past year, but over my whole career in this unit.”
As a Paratrooper, Thomas said he has many styles of leadership. The most important message he would want to pass on to new generations of soldiers entering the Army is “Do your best at everything. Never be satisfied. If you’re satisfied, it means you’ve stopped training.”
| Date Taken: | 03.22.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2012 07:22 |
| Story ID: | 85679 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,357 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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