When choosing a noncommissioned officer of the year among transporters and support personnel, the 599th Transportation Brigade looks for someone who is always determined to do the best job possible at every task to which he is assigned.
Staff Sgt. Jason Miller, documentation NCO for the 835th Transportation Battalion at Naha Military Port in Okinawa, Japan, more than fulfills that role.
"He's a professional," said Miller's supervisor, Raymond Brown Jr., distribution management chief for the battalion. "He works for perfection. He sets a standard and he holds people to that standard. As a staff NCO, he's in a role of leadership, so he teaches those who are younger or not up to standard and gets them up to the standard. He strives to be a true professional."
Brown said he is impressed with Miller's work ethic and leadership ability.
"He was chosen to be the NCO of the year because of his leadership traits and his track record," Brown said. "His billet was gapped, so we had a quite a few items that hadn't been worked, but he jumped in with the attitude that he'd pull the straps down and get everything up to standard. He never has used excuses that something was messed up."
Brown is particularly impressed with Miller's skills at interacting with different types of people.
"His is a challenging billet because of the associations with the other services. In it he deals with the Air Force and Marines, so as a Soldier you have to display the right leadership traits or you'll get run over. Not every staff sergeant is capable of working in a joint environment like this."
Frank Viray, 599th Trans. Bde. traffic management specialist, was the battalion's terminal operations chief before coming to the 599th.
"He knows what he is doing and lets the people he is working with know that he is competent. Working with other services you have to show that you are self confident," Viray said.
Sgt. Maj. Keith Edwards, 835th Trans. Bn. sergeant major, said the battalion received permission from 10th Regional Support Group at Torii Station, for Miller to go through its NCO of the year competition.
"He didn't compete there, but this certified him for having gone through the event so that he could compete at the SDDC level," Edwards said.
Miller said he appreciated the recognition of becoming NCO of the year.
"It was an honor to not only be awarded the title of NCO of the year for both my battalion and brigade, but also to have the chance represent them at the SDDC competition," Miller said.
Command Sgt. Maj. Claudia Shakespeare, 599th command sergeant major, gave Miller high praise for being a close contender at the SDDC competition while maintaining a fulltime job as a cargo documentation NCO and a busy secondary job of SHARP victim advocate.
"He showed such initiative and drive, to be willing to first go through the process at 10th RSG, and then he went on to compete and come in a very close runner up at SDDC. All of his study had to be during his free time, because they don't have time at the 835th for someone to spend his duty day studying," Shakespeare said.
Edwards agreed that Miller was not a fulltime competitor.
"Since he's been here, he's participated in DDMTs [deployment and distribution management teams] for five different exercises, two Forager Fury, Cobra Gold, Balikatan, and Marine Expeditionary Force Exercise.
"Throughout the first year he's been here as part of the battalion, he's moved more than 21,000 measurement tons of cargo, processed a total of more than 12 vessels at Naha Military Port, and in-boarded and cleared 7,559 containers," Edwards said in early September.
Miller said his assignment with the 835th is the most demanding of his 13-year military career.
"This is easily my most challenging assignment," Miller said. "Working with different local nationals and also so many different customers -- Marines, Navy, different revolving pieces. I'm able to learn what the different services and agencies' standards are.
"This is also one of my most fun assignments. I'm learning light Japanese and get to practice with the people I work with. I also get to see from a higher echelon all of the revolving and moving pieces here," he added.
-30-
P/C: From left: Staff Sgt. Jason Miller, 835th Transportation Battalion documentation NCO and 599th Transportation Brigade NCO of the Year, and Sgt. 1st Class Emilio Frijas, 835th Trans. Bn. terminal operations NCOIC, go over a cargo list to verify equipment received during Exercise Garuda Shield redeployment cargo operations Oct. 2 at the Port of Tanjung Wangi, Indonesia.
Social Sharing