Fort Shafter, Hawaii -- From day one of the Warrior Leadership Course (WLC) SPC Roberto A. Maldonado, a Senior Early Warning Systems Operator with the 94th Air and Missile Defense Command Air Operation Cell, knew that he would have to give it his absolute best while competing against his fellow peers in competition.
Maldonado competed against more than 150 fellow WLC graduates and won both the Distinguished Leadership, Iron Warrior Award and achieved the Commandant's List.
Maldonado said, "Were all supposed to be putting the best effort forward and give our absolute best."
During the course Maldonado learned many lessons from his instructors. He was proud to point out training techniques for both himself and his soldiers that he acquired.
He said, "I learned that praise can be more obtrusive than blame and that people can say that your high speed, that you're a great soldier but there is always going to be room for improvement, and you should never stop that learning process of becoming a much better leader."
To help prepare Maldonado for the trials of WLC, he had plenty of guidance and advice from his non-commissioned officers.
"My NCOs pushed me to go to the board and soldier of the year. They are the ones who always had this confidence and faith in me that even if I don't think I'm ready for something like WLC, they tell me I'm ready," he said.
As a new graduate of WLC Maldonado believes that he is ready for the challenges that are ahead and ready to overcome any obstacles that may present itself. He also has advice for those that would strive to follow in his tracks.
Maldonado also said, "My strongest assets are a willingness to put in the amount of time and effort necessary to prepare for each task no matter what it is asked of me. No matter how long it is or how much effort it is, I always give that 110% and force myself to go and push myself past my limits and test those limits over and over again."
Now that Maldonado has been through WLC he is ready to prepare others by giving them the keys to success that he was given.
Maldonado said, "I cannot wait to be a sponsor for a soldier attending WLC. As far as my mindset of setting up that framework and set up that ladder of success for the next soldier I have plenty of good advice to give to that next troop to set them up for success."
Maldonado is just starting with his goals and hopes to be a sergeant attending airborne school and he wants to be a command sergeant major in a Special Forces group one day.
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