FORT KNOX, Ky. (Jan. 7, 2014) -- The 80th Training Command (TASS) kicked off its eighth Instructor of the Year competition here at the 100th Training Division (OS) headquarters Jan. 6, 2014.
Six Soldiers from the 102nd and 94th Training Divisions are participating in the two-day event, meant to identify and recognize the 80th Training Command's best instructors in the enlisted and officer categories.
"We have top quality instructors that teach well over 20,000 active, Reserve and Guard Soldiers, and this gives us an opportunity to recognize the best of the best," said Command Sgt. Maj. John Stumph, 102nd Training Command senior enlisted adviser and competition judge.
Competitors are judged on their communication skills, technical and tactical knowledge, appearance and military bearing. Judges also give consideration to training contribution, training-literature development and article publication research.
Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Kennedy, an event judge and former Army Training and Doctrine Command 2011 Reserve Category Instructor of the Year, said there are numerous advantages to winning the competition.
"It gave me exposure to a lot of individuals who wanted to mentor me. Obviously it's a good bullet on your [Non-Commissioned Officer Efficiency Report]. It looks good going before promotion boards, and it gives you an opportunity to be known in the instructor community," said Kennedy, currently with the 6/95th Military Intelligence Battalion.
Sgt. 1st Class Edward Hampton, with the 4/80th Chemical Battalion, one of four instructors who competed on the first day, said the competition will afford him an opportunity to be evaluated and get feedback from the panel of sergeants major who will serve as judges, even if he is not the winner.
The winner of the event in each category will compete at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, known as TRADOC, level.
"Hopefully this year we'll end up with the TRADOC Instructor of the Year," Stumph said. "We feel we have the best instructors, so our goal is to have others see the excellence we have in our ranks."
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