FORT SILL, Okla. (Oct. 24, 2013) -- One of the most challenging enlisted boards in the Army is the post-level Sergeant Audie Murphy Club board, which determines who will become a member of the elite fraternity.
The SAMC is very competitive, requires a lot of professional knowledge and top physical conditioning, and it is not uncommon for a noncommissioned officer not to pass the final selection board on their first or second attempts, said Sgt. 1st Class Brandie Walker, SAMC Fort Sill Chapter president.
At the most recent board Oct. 18, five candidates did not pass, which required unanimous approval by board members.
The esteemed SAMC is an organization of NCOs (corporal through sergeant first class) who have contributed significantly to the development of a professional NCO Corps and a combat ready Army, according to the club's website. Members exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers.
The FCoE Sergeant Audie Murphy Club board was the the last step for the NCOs in a process that began months ago at the battery or company level.
GO FOR IT
Candidate Staff Sgt. Kelly Petty, Fort Sill NCO Academy air defense artillery instructor, said a SAMC membership sets NCOs apart from their peers.
"It brings prestigious honor to you ... and the club gives back to our community with volunteer work, like the veterans," she said. "The club gives a good appearance to the Army."
Candidate Sgt. Marcus Robinson, 571st Forward Support Company petroleum supply specialist, said club membership honors the ideals of leadership, honors Sgt. Audie Murphy and all past and present members.
"If I'm in the club, I want to take what I learn and pass it down to my Soldiers to make them better, the unit better, as well as the Army as a whole," Robinson said.
SPONSORS
At their units, prospective SAMC candidates are assigned sponsors who act as mentors, said sponsor 1st Sgt. Terrell Williams, C Battery, 1st Battalion, 17th Field Artillery.
"The sponsor ensures that the Soldier is ready to attend the board," Williams said. "That includes everything from uniform appearance to Army knowledge and the ability to portray yourself as the epitome of a Sergeant Audie Murphy Club member."
A sponsor will spend many hours with his or her candidate preparing them for the unit level boards. The boards get progressively harder as the Soldier advances to the brigade and finally, post-level SAMC board, he said.
The attributes of a SAMC member are those that one looks for in a capable NCO, Williams said.
"You look for the quality of competency in their job as well as knowing their Soldiers' jobs, you look for a leader taking care of Soldiers and [one] who knows the agencies and resources available for Soldiers," he said.
PREREQUISITES
Before candidates qualify for the final board they must score at least 90 percent on the physical training assessment of push ups, sit ups and the two-mile run. The number and run times are based on the age of the candidates. They must also dissemble and reassemble an M-16 rifle and M-249 squad automatic weapon. Finally, the candidate must give a 10-minute training session on a topic chosen by evaluators, such as troop leading procedures, counseling or on-the-spot corrections.
FINAL BOARD
Exhibit confidence. That's the one piece of advice that virtually everyone gave SAMC candidates as they waited for the board to begin Oct. 18 at McNair Hall.
Staff Sgt. Scott Smith, G-3 Operations FCoE board and special events coordinator, also offered: Don't try to B-S because they will know, and then the board members will make it a long board for you. If you miss easy questions, then things can get really rough with board members ganging up against you. And, before entering the room, don't knock so hard on the conference room door that you put your fist through the door, which, he said, regularly happens.
At the Oct. 18 board, six senior enlisted NCOs ranging from first sergeant to Command Sgt. Maj. Dwight Morrisey, FCoE and Fort Sill CSM, inspected and queried each candidate.
Questions came at the candidate faster than bullets from a machine gun, and ranged from Army history to drill and ceremonies to training.
One Soldier was asked to sing the Third Infantry Division song, "The Dogface Soldier," which was popularized by actor Audie Murphy in his film, "To Hell and Back." Another had to explain why he had not yet attended the Senior Leader Course. One current events question asked the candidate to talk about the Secretary of the Army's top priorities, which had been released a couple days before.
FORT SILL CHAPTER
The SAMC Fort Sill Chapter has about 250 members, with about 150 members actively participating, Walker said. Membership into the SAMC is not an end state, but a continuation of leadership responsibilities, said Walker, who is the Reynolds Army Community Hospital unit victim advocate.
"We represent giving back to the community, and you actually have to work and put in the time," she said. Some of the clubs current initiatives include a community school reading program and a holiday coat drive.
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