SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- The 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division held a ceremony on Oct. 30 to recognize its top performers. Col. Thomas Mackey, 2nd SBCT commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Crosby, 2nd SBCT's senior noncommissioned officer, were both on hand to present the awards in front of an audience that packed the Sgt. Smith Theater.
First recognized were four civilians whose efforts either helped further or greatly enhance the brigade mission.
Matt Matunas from the Directorate of Human Resources, Retirement Services, was recognized for the outstanding work his section did during fiscal year 2013. The Retirement Services Office processed more than 90 voluntary retirements, unqualified resignations, and chapters, assisting Soldiers and their families with a smooth transition.
David Patterson from the Directorate of Human Resources, Enlisted Reassignments, was recognized for his section's tireless dedication to helping Soldiers, whether active duty, National Guard, or Reserves, throughout the Pacific area of responsibility.
Lena Andrestsopoulos is the Schofield Barracks Range Scheduler for all of Oahu and handles all of the military and civilian scheduling for Schofield Barracks' ranges. She was recognized for her hard work ensuring maximum training time was allotted for 2nd SBCT's Soldiers. Her professionalism and dedication allowed 2nd SBCT to maintain an average of 98% of ranges utilized for fiscal year 2013.
Sophia Hoskin, a Military Family Life Consultant, was recognized for her hard work and dedication to providing counseling for 2nd SBCT's Soldiers and families. Ms. Hoskin is leaving Schofield Barracks and heading back to the mainland with her family.
Col. Mackey established an incentive program to recognize Soldiers within our ranks whose accomplishments have a positive impact on 2nd SBCT and our mission. The program is called "Warriors of the Week." The following Soldiers were awarded the Army Commendation Medal for their outstanding performance, tactical prowess, technical expertise, and unwavering determination, earning them the title "Warrior of the Week" amongst their peers.
From 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment:
Sgt. Kyle Doubler
Spc. Ellis Montoya
Spc. Rainey Decker
Pfc. John Parsons
From 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment:
Sgt. Gary Wagner
Spc. James Sumner
Pfc. Carlos Ortega
Pvt. Wesley Merriwether
From 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment:
Cpl. Joshua Parrish
Spc. Joshua Derossett
Spc. Zachary Fuhr
Spc. Matthew Mizcynski
From 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment:
Sgt. 1st Class Edward Jenkins
Staff Sgt. Logan Maile
Spc. Dellana Carlson
Spc. Ianpeter Liu
From 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment:
Sgt. 1st Class Esteban Reyes
Staff Sgt. Allen Wright
Sgt. Stephen Jelinek
Spc. Joshua Kerekes
Spc. Rebekah Ronin
From 225th Brigade Support Battalion:
Sgt. Rodger Jachim
Sgt. Joseph Roy
Sgt. Jessie Simmons
Spc. Snooky Calambro
Spc. Brian Coleman
Streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the name and date denoting participation, and outstanding performance in a particular event.
The Top Retention Streamer was awarded to Staff Sgt. Michelle Vereen, 225th BSB's career counselor. She was the only counselor in 2nd SBCT to meet all assigned retention mission objectives for Initial, Mid-Career, and Careerist reenlistments for fiscal year 2013 and the beginning of fiscal year 2014. She effectively managed her program, resulting in her battalion surpassing its assigned mission under very limited retention options.
The Best Fire Support Team Streamer was awarded to 1st Lt. Michael Gillcrist, Staff Sgt. Kyle Smith, and Spc. Christopher Gonzalez from C Troop, 2-14 Cav. This FiST team excelled in the eleven-event Best FiST Competition held at Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island of Hawaii. The events were mentally and physically taxing, and many teams had to work on a 24-hour cycle to accomplish their missions. This team from C Troop, 2-14 CAV proved their capabilities to train beyond the standard and achieve success amongst their peers.
The Top Stryker Main Gun System Streamer was awarded to Sgt. 1st Class Charles Harris, Sgt. Vincent Sigrah, and Spc. Sonny Vega of C Co., 1-27 Inf. These Soldiers from the "Coldsteel" company qualified as "Top Gun" in the brigade's consolidated MGS gunnery. The crew qualified as "distinguished" with eight out of ten engagements and a total score of 927 out of 1,000. Vega was also identified as the top driver in the brigade. The crew's hard work and dedication serves as an example for other Stryker crews in the brigade to emulate.
The Week of the Warrior Overall Champion Streamer was awarded to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-21 Inf. The Gimlets gained hard earned respect from the breadth of talent within the brigade. They worked hard in preparation for and during the Week of the Warrior, consistently performing at or near the top in most events, sustaining the Gimlet heritage and winning tradition.
Social Sharing