Fort Bragg events geared to building camaraderie

By Tina Ray/ParaglideJanuary 20, 2012

Fort Bragg events geared to building camaraderie
Dennis Duck, right, socializes with his boss, Michelle Hagwood, at Bosses' Night, Jan. 5, at Sports USA. Bosses' Night was held to build camarederie among bosses and their employees. Duck is food and beverage director and Hagwood is a business operat... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - How often do junior and senior personnel get to mingle socially?

Well, usually every other month, through a program coordinated by the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, called Bosses' Night, said Dennis Duck, FMWR food and beverage director. The flip side of Bosses' Night is known as Right Arm Night, designed to give senior leadership the opportunity to mingle with their "right-arm" or junior personnel.

FMWR strategically coordinates Bosses' Night to coincide with the Leadership Development Program, Duck said. Both events, with food offered, took place Jan. 5, at Sports USA on Longstreet Road.

LDP aims to aid senior commanders in their leadership skills. "That's our mission -- support of the Soldier," Duck said.

Bosses' Night seemed a beneficial initiative.

"It gives senior leadership an opportunity to mingle in a time when we really can't -- because it's an up-tempo environment," said Sgt. Maj. Sean Rice, of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade.

"It allows us to communicate, not via email and ceremonies, but by breaking bread and talking," said Rice.

Though many Soldiers took part in LDP, coordinated by Maj. Gen. Rodney O. Anderson, deputy commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, few realized that Bosses' Night was underway.

When approached about Bosses' Night, some Soldiers said they were at Sports USA to attend LDP.

One of those was Kelvin Thompson, a chief warrant officer 4 with the XVIII Airborne Corps Parachute Office. Thompson said he did not know about the event, but feels it is important that leaders and subordinates develop a social relationship, as well as a working one.

"Soldiers have to be well rounded and have the ability to communicate at various levels," Thompson said.

Duck encourages more Soldiers to attend Bosses' or Right Arm nights.

Though attendance is not mandatory, it provides an opportunity for camaraderie at all levels, he said.

In case that's not incentive enough -- there is always free food and music.