FORT BENNING, Ga., (Dec. 18, 2013) -- Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Metheny took command of the Henry Caro Noncommissioned Officer Academy from outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. William Hain during a ceremony Friday at Marshall Auditorium.
Metheny said taking command of the NCOA was a responsibility he was looking forward to.
"Most sergeants major work at a tactical level," Metheny said.
"Maybe they get up to an operational level at times, but to have the ability to affect our NCO corps and our professional military education at the operational and strategic level in line with the sergeant major of the Army's initiatives and Maj. Gen. H. R. McMaster's guidance is an awesome responsibility."
Metheny said all policies and procedures remain in place, and that he hoped the NCOA will continue to provide top-notch instruction to the NCOs of Fort Benning.
"We want to provide world-class instruction that is equal to none across our Army," Metheny said. "We also want to certify and provide the absolute best qualified instructors that we can to add legitimacy to the program of instruction that we're teaching and the platform that we're teaching from.
"We also want to really integrate our NCOs with the other training capabilities that we have here at the Maneuver Center of Excellence. We want them to be able to interact with basic training privates as a squad leader for the first time or with the Officer Candidate School candidates, basic officer leadership course lieutenants or Maneuver Captains Career Course students so that we mirror and grow alongside our officers."
During the ceremony, Hain spoke about his experiences while in command, and said it had been an honor to impact the Army's NCO education system.
"It's been extremely rewarding for me to give back a little bit to the NCOES, a system that in so many ways has fueled my success as a leader in the Army," Hain said.
"I hope that I lived up to expectations of my cadre and my students. I think Sgt. Maj. Matheny and I have had a good handover, and I'm confident the NCOA is in good hands."
Hain also took the time to thank McMaster and MCoE Command Sgt. Maj. James Carabello, as well as the staffs of the Armor and Infantry schools.
"(Maj. Gen. McMaster and Command Sgt. Maj. Carabello) gave me absolutely sincere encouragement and positive feedback at every turn," Hain said. "Their focus and support for leader development, and specifically the NCOES and OES here at Fort Benning, has been nothing short of amazing.
"Both the Armor and Infantry schools have been pliable enough to make the needed changes, plus they filled the NCO Academy with quality instructors. I really appreciate the support of the commandants and especially the sergeants major … I couldn't have done it without them."
Social Sharing