Two command sergeants major from the Army Contracting Command have been selected to compete for future nominative positions.
Nominative command sergeant major positions are those that serve at the general officer level.
Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Wright, 408th Contracting Support Brigade, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and Command Sgt. Maj. Leatrice Person, 409th CSB, Kaiserslautern, Germany, are the first 51C command sergeants major to make the list.
"The selection of Command Sergeants Major Wright and Person shows that the Army values and recognizes the ability of our 51C (contracting) NCOs to serve at the nominative level," said Command Sgt. Maj. David M. Puig, ACC command sergeant major. "These are the first two 51Cs to be selected to compete at the nominative command sergeant major/sergeant major level. Their selection demonstrates the growth of the MOS (military occupational specialty) and its potential to help shape the Army in the future."
The Expeditionary Command's command sergeant major agrees.
"Both Command Sgt. Maj. Wright and Command Sgt. Maj. Person have the ability and leadership skills to be selected and serve in a nominative position," said Command Sgt. Maj. Angel Clark. "As NCOs they have displayed the highest level of professionalism and proficiency. I see nothing but great things in both of their futures."
According to Sgt. Maj. Todd A. Moore, chief, Sergeants Major Management Office, Office of the Sergeant Major of the Army, the selection panel assesses individuals based on knowledge, skills and abilities. This includes the competencies and attributes outlines in the Army Leader Development Strategy and their overall potential to serve at the nominative level. The panel convenes quarterly with continuous panels conducted in between scheduled panels as current nominative command sergeants major are selected for positions.
Moore said a centralized Department of the Army selected board very similar to a centralized promotion board determines who makes the list. The board is made up of senior general officers and sergeants major.
"Once selected, this population is further screened with enhanced background checks and assessed again, this time by the SMA's Nominative Panel for potential to serve at the one and two star level," Moore said. "The Sergeant Major of the Army's nominative panel is made up of eight of the Army's senior most sergeants major and the sergeant major of the Army. The panel meets quarterly and is the body that selects the best qualified applicants for each of the positions slated for that general or senior executive service to consider."
According to Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen Bowens, Mission and Installation Contracting Coomand, Person's and Wright's selection also shows the value of contracting Soldiers.
"The selection of these two outstanding senior enlisted leaders to the nominative list validates the breadth and depth of experience possessed by contracting Soldiers throughout the Army," Bowens said. "The experience gained from a thorough understanding of acquisitions coupled with some of the most stringent professional development requirements produces seasoned NCOs who possess extraordinary leadership skills that apply across multiple aspects of the Army mission."
Of the 268 sergeants major eligible, 101 were selected according to John Heinrichs, chief, Command Management Branch, U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
Moore said it should be noted that being selected, to the list is not a guarantee that the candidate will become a nominative sergeant major as only a small percentage from this list ever get presented the opportunity to interview and be considered for one of the positions.
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