Sgt. Audie Murphy Club puts inductees to test

By Nick DukeFebruary 17, 2015

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Sgt. 1st Class Cecil Pearson, a senior platoon sergeant with the Fitness Training Unit, 30th Adjutant General Reception Battalion, 194th Armored Brigade, leads Soldiers in a series of stretches and exercises Feb. 11. Pearson was one of three NCOs ind... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BENNING, Ga., (Feb. 18, 2015) -- Three NCOs received a prestigious honor Feb. 4, as they were inducted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.

The club is for NCOs whose leadership, achievements and performance merit special recognition, and is named for Sgt. Audie Murphy, the most decorated U.S. combat Soldier of World War II. Murphy was awarded 33 medals and decorations for his service during World War II, including the Medal of Honor.

After his release from the Army, Murphy went on to become a well-known actor and starred in 44 feature films.

According to United States Army Forces Command regulations, members must "... exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development, and welfare of Soldiers and concern for Families of Soldiers."

If an NCO meets these requirements, they may be nominated for membership by their chain of command.

One of the newest inductees, Staff Sgt. Robert Kennedy, a senior drill sergeant for C Company, 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, said he decided to seek induction after seeing the example set by other SAMC members.

"It's been something I've aspired to because it's something my Soldiers and Soldiers I'll have in the future can look upon as something they could also achieve," he said. "SAMC members are always looked upon as some of the greatest NCOs in the Army. ... It's a sign of expertise within the NCO corps. It's a level of leadership that people should strive toward. Soldiers can come to a SAMC member when needed. They can lean on them whenever they need information on how to take care of Soldiers or develop or mentor them."

After having their nominations reviewed, approved nominees advance to the final selection board. There, the nominees are questioned on a variety of topics.

"They're in there with a panel for more than an hour being asked questions about how they would take care of Soldiers in certain situations or the decisions they would make or basic Army knowledge," said 1st Sgt. Deondre Long, Fort Benning SAMC president. "It's all to evaluate them to see what type of leader they are and what type of leader they can be in the future."

Long said the board is intended to put pressure on the candidates, which gives the board members a clearer view of each candidate's ability to perform in a high-stress environment.

"People show their true character in adversity," he said. "So, we challenge our leaders. We place adversity on them to see how they'll respond, and those that have earned induction have responded accordingly. They've displayed their worthiness."

Kennedy said the boards are stressful, yet ultimately rewarding.

"The boards are very brutal and they don't let up on you," he said. "They test you mentally to the point where you have multiple people asking you questions and you're trying to figure out which one to answer first. Once you come out of the board, all you can think about is how tough it was, but once they tell you you've been nominated for induction, it's an amazing feeling."

After the final selection board, new inductees are chosen. Long said on average, 26 percent of those candidates who seek induction will make it into SAMC.

Sgt. Crystal Langgardner, a supply sergeant for D Company, 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, said she was especially proud of her performance during the board given her supply MOS.

"You don't see a lot of Soldiers with a supply or support MOS going for this induction because the board is largely Infantry focused," she said. "For me as a supply sergeant to be able to come through is a pretty amazing feeling."

Sgt. 1st Class Cecil Pearson, a senior platoon sergeant with the Fitness Training Unit, 30th Adjutant General Reception Battalion, 194th Armored Brigade, said he was proud to be able to honor the example other SAMC members have set.

"It's still surreal, but it's a great feeling knowing all the hard work has paid off," he said. "I had a lot of mentors and senior NCOs who were in the club, and they instilled a lot of confidence in me, and I just wanted to keep that going."

For all three new inductees, Long said the honor should be shared with those closest to them.

"It's a testament to not just them, but to their Families, coworkers and friends," he said. "It's now up to them to challenge those individuals who see them and maybe guide them toward being a part of the club as well."

However, the pressures of SAMC membership do not end with induction. Now, new members must prepare themselves for one of the major responsibilities of an SAMC member - community service.

"Sgt. Audie Murphy was all about helping others," Long said. "He wanted to instill greatness in others through challenging them to better themselves, and that's what the club is all about. The ability to serve just gives someone the ability to find additional purpose in their lives."