Fort Stewart, Ga. Aca,!" The noncommissioned officer can take on an infinite number of tasks: mentor, leader, friend, Family Member and even scapegoat. In front of every Soldier is an NCO ready to face the onslaught of daily life, both on post and in the field.
For Sgt. Crystal Winn, work in1st Heavy Brigade Combat TeamAca,!a,,cs S4 is no easy task. As a logistic supply sergeant, she is responsible for getting each unit in the brigade its supplies. However, even with her three years and eight months in the Army, she is confident enough to go above and beyond the call of duty every day.
Sergeant Winn enlisted when she was 19 years old and hasnAca,!a,,ct looked back, although her Family didnAca,!a,,ct agree with her decision.
Aca,!A"I have a huge Family, and we are very tight,Aca,!A? Sgt. Winn said. Aca,!A"I have five sisters, and IAca,!a,,cm the oldest. It was very demanding being the big sister because everyone is looking up to you. I joined the Army because I needed a change and the opportunity presented itself to me. I joined when I was 19; my Family didnAca,!a,,ct like my decision because I have Family that is retired Navy and Air Force, but I believe it was a great decision because it has presented a lot of opportunities.Aca,!A?
For Sgt. Winn, the Army did more than open up opportunities. It also taught her valuable lessons.
Aca,!A"I donAca,!a,,ct think I would be this dedicated if I hadnAca,!a,,ct joined the military. My grandfather told me to take logistics because there are a lot of jobs dealing with logistics outside of the military.Aca,!A?
Sergeant Winn said the biggest obstacle she has faced while being in the Army was going to the board for her stripes.
Aca,!A"I had been in two years and four months when I went to the board,Aca,!A? said Sgt. Winn. Aca,!A"I was very nervous, and itAca,!a,,cs a feeling youAca,!a,,cve never felt before, but I had a lot of NCOs who pushed me and got me through it. The board is about confidence; you donAca,!a,,ct have to know all the answers as long as you are confident.Aca,!A?
But an NCO canAca,!a,,ct rest easy after they have been pinned their stripes. There are always more trials and tribulations for an NCO, no matter what rank they are.
Aca,!A"When I got pinned my stripes, I knew there would be a lot of responsibility and very demanding,Aca,!A? said Sgt. Winn. Aca,!A"ItAca,!a,,cs one of those things where you know you are being looked at all the time, so you have to be on top of your game.Aca,!A?
According to Sgt. Winn, her success at the board and as an NCO comes from confidence, strength and pride in service.
Aca,!A"My strength is my greatest asset to this unit,Aca,!A? said Sgt. Winn. Aca,!A"IAca,!a,,cm not the type of person who takes what everyone says and thinks I canAca,!a,,ct do it.Aca,!A?
Sergeant Winn derives her confidence from her spirituality and her chain of command. That confidence gives her the mental toughness that makes her a successful logistics NCO.
Aca,!A"I think my strongest asset is my mental toughness. Being able to serve everyoneAca,!a,,cs need, as logistics (Soldiers), that is our job,Aca,!A? Sgt. Winn said. Aca,!A"We give everyone what the units need. The best feeling in the world is getting the units what they need with no problems. It can be a difficult job at times, and very demanding, but I take pride in whatever IAca,!a,,cm giving to the units.Aca,!A?
However, out of all the details of her job, Sgt. WinnAca,!a,,cs favorite part is mentoring her Soldiers.
Aca,!A"My favorite part of my job is dealing with my Soldiers,Aca,!A? she said. Aca,!A"I think I have some of the most exciting Soldiers. Being a mentor and inspiring the Soldiers is what I do best. I take them under my wing as if they are my little sibling, so I have a different leadership style.Aca,!A?
Out of all the traits it takes to be a good NCO, Sgt. Winn believes that pride is the most important.
Aca,!A"We have to take pride in what we do, some days I have to say, Aca,!EoeI canAca,!a,,ct believe IAca,!a,,cm wearing this uniform.Aca,!a,,c It takes a lot to wear this uniform; it takes a lot of courage, and some people donAca,!a,,ct have that. Most civilians donAca,!a,,ct know what we do in the Army and what it takes. Being in the Army is not an easy decision, but being an NCO is great because we are the motivators.Aca,!A?
Stats
Sgt. Crystal Winn
Age: 23
Current Position: Logistics Sergeant
Unit: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team
Component: Active Duty
Location: Fort Stewart
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
Years Enlisted: 3 Years, 8 Months
Deployments: 2 (Baghdad, Cuba)
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