Fort Sill, Okla.--Fort Sill announced the Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year. Staff Sgt. Jason Brandon Fillmore and Spc. Latrisha Ann Howard-Robinson hold the titles for 2009.
Staff Sgt. Fillmore is a section chief for A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery. He was nominated for NCO of the Month in April by 1st Sgt. Darrell Dunbar of B Battery, 2-2.
"I became NCO of the month, NCO of the quarter, brigade quarter, TRADOC quarter, and post quarter before becoming NCO of the Year," said Fillmore.
Fillmore added he thinks his commitment to excellence is what helped him become NCO of the Year.
"My dedication, not only to the competition, but also to set an example for my Soldiers helped me get NCO of the Year," said Fillmore. "When they compete in the Soldier of the Month boards and their Soldier of the Quarter boards, I want them to know how important it is to dedicate themselves to something and be good at it. We all joined the Army, but some people joined just for something to do. My thing is, if you are going to do something, be good at it, be great at it, be the best at it."
Fillmore joined the Army almost seven years ago to get discipline.
"My duties as section chief include being responsible for seven or eight Soldiers," said Fillmore. "I work on the M119A2 howitzer, take care of the maintenance aspect, equipment accountability, Soldier accountability. We go out and shoot, and I make sure we are doing everything safely. I train new Soldiers and cross-train current Soldiers so they can learn all aspects of their job.
"I am in a unit that shoots more rounds than any other unit in the Army so we get a lot of training. Shooting live in the FORSCOM side of the Army is a big deal, but in 2-2 it is an everyday thing."
Fillmore has taken the Warrior Leadership Course; he has attended Field Artillery Mechanic School and was a distinguished honor graduate of the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course.
His career goals include becoming an E-7 in 10 years and being promoted to sergeant major in 18 years. If he wasn't in the Army, Fillmore said he would be a firefighter and paramedic in San Diego. "Anything outdoors, just like I do now."
Spc. Latrisha Howard-Robinson is Fort Sill's Soldier of the Year for 2009.
Battalion S1 for the 2nd Battalion 6th Air Defense Artillery, Robinson spends most of her days dealing with paperwork.
"Spc. Robinson possesses great work ethic," said Capt. Marcus Tukel, Robinson's battery commander."She is a hard worker and very dedicated. She does quite a bit for our battalion.
Winning has brought more attention to what she does and how hard she works."
1st Sgt. Kwain Stovall nominated Robinson for the award. She won brigade Soldier of the Year before becoming Fort Sill's Soldier of the Year.
"I nominated her based on her PT score, her knowledge and her experience, said Stovall. "She was my first choice. She has a real quick response and she learns very, very fast. She is a complete Soldier. Her knowledge is as important as her Soldier skills She has a really good balance."
After winning Soldier of the Quarter, Soldier of the Year seemed like the next logical step for Robinson.
"Regardless of the outcome of the boards, we knew she wouldn't give up," said Stovall. "We knew the competition would be stiffer for Soldier of the year."
Robinson, who has been in the Army four years, said she joined to be able to travel.
"So far I have been to Korea, Fort Campbell, Fort Bliss and here," said Robinson. "I hope to go to Germany and Italy."
Robinson said she plans to make the Army her career.
"I hope to become a drill sergeant and then attend warrant officer school," said Robinson.
"She will definitely be one of the names you hear in the future," said Stovall. "She has enough understanding and basics to make it far."
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