First Sergeant

Bensonhurst we had the likes of Turkish, Japanize, Croatian and Russian people to name a few. Before joining the Army I had little idea that I had merely scratched the surface of the different types of people that there was in the world, at least in the first world countries. After some time in the service what I discovered was that some people eat the strangest things. What I would consider a roadside weed, some would consider a treat. About 99.9 percent of the time you spend in the Army is…

My first major mission, a young 18 year old, the lead gunner behind a M240B as the first line of defense for our platoon; would soon be a situation that left an imprint in my life and has forever changed how I now lead as an NCO. This mission took place in 2007 near the city of Ad Dawr, Iraq. The mission was complex but my orders were simple, protect the convoy and provide security. The main objective was to expose and detain (if possible) a cell leader to include destroying his know cache point…

Craig I. Simmons has held several key positions including serving as Human Resources Manager, Administrative Specialist, Battalion Master Trainer, Senior Guidance Counselor, Recruiting Company First Sergeant, Army JROTC Instructor and as Deputy Program Manager. While those positions provided him with a range of experience, Mr. Simmons obtained a wealth of knowledge, as well as operational experience which speaks volumes of his adaptability and proven…

At the time, I felt as if I had good intentions in checking on my soldier, however it was clearly impaired judgement. Looking back at the situation I shouldn’t have drove downtown in the first place. I could’ve mitigated the situation by calling someone to pick me up, and also to check on the soldier without me physically going there in my impaired state. I understand the magnitude of this offense and it is completely in violation of our…

SFC Juan Fontanez’s legacy was the impact he left on his Soldiers. He has been one of the most influential leaders in my military career. SFC Fontanez was my Platoon Sergeant during my third deployment to Iraq. During this deployment, I filled the role of Squad Leader in a Combat Engineer Platoon, performing route clearance operations in and out of Sadr City. SFC Fontanez taught me the importance of leading from the front, setting the example, and establishing a high level of trust within your…

amount and type of drugs being administered by the medical facility to the inmate and other medical personnel. Then the over watch officer ensures the perimeter distance is sustained at all times and checks to see if the inmate has swallow their medication by opening their mouth and physically showing that they swallowed the medication. However, it is not required that the inmate must take their prescribed medication by the medical staff. Like in the constitution, even an inmate has rights to…

The Unfair Awards System during Iraq and Afghanistan SGM Roslyn D. Mason United States Sergeants Major Academy Sergeants Major Course (SMC) CL43B SGM JOHN A. KOLODGY October 10, 2016 Having been involved in both Iraq and Afghanistan wars the one consistent thing that I have noticed was a high distribution of awards to officers and senior enlisted whom did not deserve them. At first when reading the citations of extreme heroism, working above and beyond duties, and rank. One would come…

Throughout the past seven years, I have served over five years on a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha as a Communications Sergeant and Intelligence Sergeant. I also served over two years as a Company Intelligence Sergeant. During this time, I have been dedicated to upholding the professionalism, reputation, and integrity of the Special Forces Soldier. I have greatly enjoyed the time I have served as a Special Forces NonCommissioned Officer, and I look forward to the potential of…

Road of 10,000 Pains by Otto J. Lehrack demonstrates what it means to be an American soldier and fight for our country. In the beginning months of 1967, the military forces started a new tactic that was called “Search and Destroy” (Vietnam in HD.) This new tactic was going to be to be known for winning the war by body count and not land taken. Chapter 16 of Otto J. Lehrack’s book gives information on some of the men that served and survived the battle. Within the chapter it gives detailed…

The Army is absolutely a professional organization that is led and maintained by professionals, but that does not mean that every member of the Army is a professional simply by association or being a service member. “Undoubtedly, the Army is considered a profession today. But, we must remember that the Army is not a profession just because we say so.”. Being considered a professional means that an individual has had both time and experience to be developed into a professional. Entry level…