The United States Army Sergeants Major Academy ceremoniously recognized the academic accomplishments of the 37 international students of Sergeants Major Course Class 65 June 11, by awarding them the International Military Student Badge. The Academy also recognized the service of four of its Military Professional Exchange Program instructors and inducted four former international military students into the International Military Student Hall of Fame.
Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Defreese, commandant, joined Michael Huffman, director of the International Military Student Office onstage for the presentation of the International Military Student Badge and then recognized the accomplishments of the Military Professional Exchange Program instructors.
The first instructor recognized was Warrant Officer 1 Brian G. Moore of Australia who was presented the Army Commendation Medal. Next to be recognized was Sgt. Maj. Delcio Pivetta of Brazil who was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. Defreese also awarded Meritorious Service Medals to Warrant Officer 1 Remko Weijts of the Netherlands and Senior Warrant Officer Song C. Chua of Singapore.
Many of the international students who have attended the Sergeants Major Course have gone on to make significant contributions to the lineage of their own NCO corps and education systems, but only a few have assumed the position of their respective country's or armed forces senior enlisted advisor, a position similar to that of the U.S. Army's Sergeant Major of the Army. The Academy recognized four individuals who have done just that by inducting them into the International Military Student Hall of Fame. Malloy assisted each of the honorees to unveil their induction plaques.
Defreese took a moment to comment on this year's inductees.
"The international program at the Sergeants Major Academy is three parts. There's the student, 37 of whom we just added to the roles of graduates. The second part is our Military Professional Exchange Program and we just recognized four outstanding sergeants major who have made lasting and positive contributions to the NCO Corps of countless countries," Defreese said. "The third and final part of our program is our participation with numerous countries around the world, helping them to establish or improve their NCO education systems. This is all part of the global engagement partnerships to make friends at the NCO level with every country. Because in the end friends who work closely with each other don't have disputes."
Turning his comments towards the inductees, Defreese noted that each is a graduate of the Sergeants Major Academy and have gone on to make significant contributions within their own NCO Corps and their armies.
"They are the epitome of leading from the front and taking care of our young Soldiers from whatever country they may be from," he said. "They are all professional soldiers and NCOs and I am proud to induct them into USASMA's International Military Student Hall of Fame."
The first honoree was Command Sgt. Maj. Damdinjav Enkhbayar of the Forces of Mongolian and a graduate of Class 60. Master Sgt. Mong Tsetset, the spouse of Enkhbayar and a member of Class 66 thanked the audience on behalf of husband who could not make the trip to the United States for the ceremony. She read a statement from Tsetset.
"Please receive my deepest honor on behalf of the NCO Corps of the Mongolian Armed Forces. I would like to express my immense gratitude and honor to the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy and the International Military Office for the recognition [in the] international military students Hall of Fame induction ceremony," Tsetset read. "This honor is a significant event not only for me, but also the Mongolian Army NCO Corps' history page. This honor is not what I have achieved, it is for the NCO Corps achievement of the Mongolian Armed Forces which is still reforming and developing its NCO Corps."
The next honoree was the Sergeant Major of the Polish Armed Forces, Chief Warrant Officer Three Krzystof Podkulinski a graduate of Class 62. Sgt. Maj. of the Army of the Polish Armed Forces, Warrant Officer 4 Krzysztof Gadowski, thanked the audience on behalf of Podkulinski who could not make the trip to the United States for the ceremony.
"It is a big honor for the Polish NCO Corps to be in the Hall of Fame. More than 12 years Poland has sent NCOs to the academy and now we have one in the Hall of Fame," Gadowski said. "This is a big honor for the Polish NCO Corps and Podkulinski and on his behalf I would like to say thank you very much."
The next honoree was the Sergeant Enlisted Advisor of the Romanian Land Forces, Sgt. Maj. Marius G. Stolan, a graduate of Class 59. Because Stolan could not make the trip to the United States for the ceremony, his plaque was unveiled by Michael Huffman, Director of the International Military Student Officer and Defreese.
The final inductee was the Sergeant Major of the Army for the Singapore Armed Forces, Chief Warrant officer Ng Siak Ping who is a graduate of Class 55.
"It is a great honor to be inducted into the USASMA International Military Student Hall of Fame; to be recognized among the best of former graduates," he said. "My time in Class 55 not only broadened my leadership, operations and human resource perspective, but it also instilled in me the heritage, values and tradition of the NCO Corps. … In receiving this award I would like to thank USASMA for its excellence in grooming the NCOs from across the world. To Class 65, I challenge you to ensure Soldiers uphold the right kind of values, military ethos of the NCO Corps and to provide a nurturing experience to soldiers under your charge."
For more photos of the ceremony and Hall of Fame Induction visit USASMA's flickr site at https://www.flickr.com/photos/133821783@N02/albums and click on the album "Class 65 IMSO Badging and Hall of Fame Ceremony."
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