Blackmon: 'Never be complacent'

By Crystal Lewis Brown, Fort Jackson LeaderSeptember 9, 2009

Blackmon: 'Never be complacent'
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Rank, name

Command Sgt. Maj. Billy Blackmon

Unit

Soldier Support Institute

Military Occupational

Specialty / Job title

42A, human resource specialist / command sergeant major

Years in service

27

Family

Married, five children

Highest education

Pursuing a master's degree

Hobbies

Golfing, fishing, spending quality time with family

FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- In the 27 years Command Sgt. Maj. Billy Blackmon has served, he has been assigned to Fort Benning, Ga.; Camp Red Cloud, Korea; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Wackernheim, Germany. He has deployed to Panama.

Blackmon said his most memorable experience in the Army is when he graduated from Ranger School.

"(As) a human resources specialist assigned to a ranger unit, (having) the opportunity to attend that course and being able to serve with a special operations unit is very slim," he said. "I think that set the foundation for me to achieve the things that I have done within the military."

He said the person who has most influenced his military career is the now-retired Command Sgt. Maj. Vincent Sampson, who served with HHC, 75th Ranger Regiment.

"I think he had a profound impact on my career by being a role model and leader that I wanted to emulate," he said.

He said he met Sampson at the point in his career where he was deciding whether to re-enlist or get out of the Army.

"It was his leadership, ultimately, that decided that for me," Blackmon said.

One of his goals is to complete his education. He will graduate with his master's degree in management and leadership in December.

After retirement, Blackmon said he would like to start his own business. He also said he wants to "continue to support Soldiers and families through my experience."

Blackmon has some advice for both junior enlisted Soldiers and those in leadership positions.

"My advice to junior enlisted Soldiers is to never become complacent or satisfied with the status quo," he said. "Continue to seek professional development opportunities through self development programs (and other) training, and find a mentor, as I did, for professional growth."

He added, "My advice to leaders is TIPS."

TIPS, Blackmon said, stands for talk, inform, predictability and stability, and is an acronym that serves as a reminder for leaders to: Talk to Soldiers daily (not only through counseling, he said, but general conversation that can key leaders in on a Soldier's well being); keep the Soldiers and families informed; provide predictability (for both the Soldier and his or her family); and provide stability.