FORT RUCKER, Ala. (June 13, 2013) -- Soldiers, Families and friends gathered at Cairns Army Airfield June 7 to welcome the U.S. Air Ambulance Detachment's new noncommissioned officer in charge.
Sgt. 1st Class Troy Rudolph, incoming detachment sergeant, assumed responsibility from Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Givings, outgoing detachment sergeant, as the NCO sword was passed from Givings to Maj. Joseph C. Alexander, Flatiron commander, to Rudolph during a change of responsibility ceremony in the Flatiron conference room.
"This is a very small organization with a huge mission, and today we have the awesome opportunity to say goodbye to Sergeant Givings and welcome Sergeant Rudolph," said Alexander. "I've had the great pleasure of working with Sergeant Rudolph, and I'm looking forward to having him come on board as the detachment first sergeant."
Rudolph began his military career when he enlisted in the Navy in 1993 as a hospital corpsman. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in March 1997, and enlisted in the Army as a 91B Combat Medic in November of the same year.
His assignments throughout his Army career have taken him all across the U.S. from Fort Benning, Ga., to Fort Carson, Colo., as well as abroad to Ansbach, Germany, where he served with the 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment.
Rudolph has served in many positions before coming to Fort Rucker, including medical NCO, treatment NCO, Battalion Aide Station NCOIC, flight medic, operations NCO, squad leader, platoon sergeant and rear detachment first sergeant.
"This is a huge responsibility, but it's going to be an awesome experience," said Rudolph, "one that I've been looking forward to for a long time."
The incoming detachment sergeant took time out to thank all of those who helped him get to where he is today, but also thanked those that allowed him the opportunity to do so.
"This will be my first assignment as a detachment NCOIC, and I really appreciate the opportunity," he said. "To the Soldiers and Families, I thank you, but most importantly, I want to thank my Family for supporting me."
As the unit welcomed the new detachment officer, they also said goodbye to a face that they had grown all-too familiar with.
"(Givings) is an individual that I've known for several years and I've been very blessed and fortunate to have served with him," said Alexander during the ceremony. "This is a guy who's been here for almost two years, and in that time, this unit has conducted nearly 3,000 flight hours … and executed dozens and dozens of life-saving medevac missions.
"I count him among the best that I've ever served with," he added.
Givings said that if he could sum up his career as the unit's detachment first sergeant, the word he would use is "blessed."
"I'm blessed to be in a great unit, I'm blessed to have had the Soldiers that I had under my command, and I'm blessed to have great commanders," he said. "Margaret Thatcher (former British prime minister) once said 'If you set out to be liked, you'll be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you'll achieve nothing.'
"I didn't set out to be liked," he continued. "I came here to do a job, and in the process of doing that job, I developed some great friendships."
Givings went on to thank everyone, from his Soldiers, to commanders and all their Families, and said that when he first became the detachment first sergeant, he set out to take care of the Families, and he hopes he achieved what he set out to do.
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