SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- The streets rumbled as hundreds of motivated junior enlisted troops (specialists and below) from the 8th Theater Sustainment Command kicked-off a day dedicated to them with a massive noncommissioned officer-free formation run here Sept. 5.
The day was designed to recognize and reward the contributions these troops make to their commands and the Army, by trusting them to completely lead their own run and then share an organizational day together, while their NCOs covered their normal daily missions.
Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Tobin, the command sergeant major for 8th TSC, had previously gathered all the junior enlisted troops for a mass open-forum discussion, and Pvt. 1st Class Ja' Tez Hudson, a logistics specialist with 40th Quarter Master Company, 524th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, stood up and said that all the junior Soldiers needed a day off for all of the hard work they have been doing all year.
The run and organizational day was Tobin's answer, and he made Hudson the acting command sergeant major of the formation that included troops from 8th Special Troops Battalion, 45th Sustainment Command, 8th Military Police Brigade, and 130th Engineer Brigade units.
"With September being National Suicide Awareness Month, this was also a great time for us to come together and focus on resiliency," Hudson said. "It's all about enhancing resiliency … about bringing us all together so that Soldiers know they have battles [buddies] that care about them so they know they can talk to them or their leaders."
Hudson said his goal was to incorporate resiliency throughout the day, and he said the day, "gives you the mindset of how to be a leader, so it's a pretty good experience."
The Hawaii Sergeant Audie Murphy Club supported the day too by providing tents, food and refreshments as the troops played flag football, basketball, Frisbee, and had shared lunch together.
"I just want to thank everyone that helped me put it together," said Hudson. "Command Sgt. Maj. Tobin of course, for giving us the opportunity as junior enlisted Soldiers to have our reward for all of the hard work that we've done this year."
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