ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (April 16, 2015) -- Staff Sgt. David Carter did it again.
Carter has won back-to-back Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Competitions for the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command.
"For the competitors, you pushed me to be better than I thought I would be. To my NCOs and everyone who helped me during this process, thank you because without all the bricks, you can't build a house," Carter told the group of about 20 RDECOM Soldiers during the awards ceremony April 15.
After three days of tasks that tested the NCOs' physical fitness and technical skills, Carter topped three of his peers to take the honor. He advances to the Army Materiel Command NCO of the Year Competition in July.
RDECOM Command Sgt. Maj. James P. Snyder thanked all the competitors for their commitment.
"I truly appreciate the fact that you took time from your personal lives to study, come here and stand above all their peers by choosing to compete for this process," Snyder said. "The way the scoring system was set up, it was impossible to be great at one particular event and win the board.
"You had to be good at everything. [Staff Sgt. Carter] stood out amongst the candidates with his knowledge and physical ability."
Brig. Gen. William Cole, RDECOM deputy commanding general, said that challenges such as the NCO of the Year Competition will pay dividends.
"Everyone who took part in this competition, you got a lot out of it," Cole said. "You will be able to draw from this throughout your career and lives. Any time you meet a difficult challenge, you get stronger from that. You can reach down during tough times. If you can do a 12-mile road march in under three hours, you can handle this problems in front of you."
Carter is a strategic system maintenance repairer assigned to the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center's Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate at APG.
Also vying for the award were:
-- Staff Sgt. Timothy L. Claflin, a flight test crew chief assigned to the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
-- Staff Sgt. David A. Hoisington, an enlisted advisor assigned to the Army Research Laboratory's Human Research Engineering Directorate at APG.
-- Staff Sgt. Candice M. Holmes, a parachute rigger assigned to the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center's Aerial Delivery Directorate at Natick, Massachusetts.
The NCOs discussed their backgrounds and personal goals with the RDECOM public affairs office. They also discussed what they have learned from their assignments in the command.
A SOLDIER'S CAREER OF SERVICE
The four competitors discussed their contributions to the Army as well as what they have gained from their service.
Holmes said the Army has provided the thrilling career she craved after high school.
"I joined the Army because I wanted something exciting to do," Holmes said. "The Army offered the job of parachute rigger, which sounded awesome because you get to jump out of planes and don't have to sit at a desk all day.
"The Army draws people from everywhere. You meet people from all parts of the country, and you get to learn a lot from their different backgrounds."
Hoisington reflected on the discipline he has learned.
"When I first joined the Army, I had evaluated where I wanted to be in the future. The Army provided several opportunities to help get me there," Hoisington said. "The Army has taught me how to drag my focus out of the closet when I need it, put it on a task and keep it there until it's done. The Army has given me quite a lot."
GAINING PERSPECTIVE FROM RDECOM
The NCOs said they had limited knowledge of the Army's research, development and engineering efforts before their assignments in RDECOM.
Soldiers should be more involved in researching and fielding new equipment, Carter said.
"I was under the assumption that the Army contracted industry to get something made and field it," Carter said. "Now that I see there's so much work put in behind the systems.
"It's good to see the Army is moving toward using Soldiers more so to make these things. During the war, we went away from that. Now we need to go back to where the Soldier is primarily involved in developing. In any day-to-day Army task, Soldiers need to be the ones involved."
Claflin said he now understands the years of work by Army scientists and engineers to bring new technology into the hands of Soldiers.
"Being part of RDECOM, I realized what it takes for someone have an idea and the process it goes through to empower the warfighter on the battlefield. It's pretty mind-blowing. I realized what went behind everything. I used to get a new piece of equipment and wonder, 'Who thought of this?'
"Knowing the back story behind that has been rewarding. When I return back to the regular Army, I can spread that to junior Soldiers and peers. If you have an idea, there is a process for that to be fielded," Claflin said.
-----
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC delivers it.
Related Links:
Army.mil: Science and Technology News
Social Sharing