Fort Sill Soldiers' excellence celebrated

By Jeff Crawley, Fort Sill CannoneerFebruary 5, 2015

Drill Sergeant Hultman
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Fort Sill 2014 NCO of the Year
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Sgt. Rebstock
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FORT SILL, Okla. (Feb. 5, 2015) -- The past several months have been busy for Fort Sill Drill Sergeant of the Year (Staff Sgt.) Lindsay Hultman, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 434th Field Artillery Brigade.

After winning the title in May, she assumed her new role as the liaison between the 300+ drill sergeants and the 434th FA Brigade commander and command sergeant major. The DSoY was also responsible for implementing any Training and Doctrine Command updates to Basic Combat Training.

"It (DSoY) gave me insight of how TRADOC develops training and how they come up with the training plan and how they execute it at that level," Hultman said. A couple areas that she worked included increasing physical training in BCT, as well as giving one week off for drill sergeants, or a "trail break" after the first year of their two-year tour.

In September, at the TRADOC DSoY competition at Fort Jackson, S.C., Hultman came in second.

"It was a challenging week. From that, I learned how much you can really push yourself," she said.

Now Hultman is busy preparing the 2015 Fort Sill DSoY course for the competition in April.

Hultman along with Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Sgt. 1st Class Wesley Weaver, and Soldier of the Year Sgt. Vivian Rebstock, were recognized as Fort Sill's finest 2014 Soldiers during a ceremony Jan. 29 at the Patriot Club.

Hundreds of fellow Soldiers, and post and community leaders attended the luncheon to pay homage to the three.

Speaker Command Sgt. Maj. Chad McNeish, 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, noted that Rebstock, who won Soldier of the Year as a specialist has since been promoted, so "we are here to celebrate excellence ... and the backbone of the Army."

The honored NCOs achieved their success through personal sacrifice, determination and committment, McNeish said. "Their courage and pursuit of excellence should serve as an inspiration to us all.

"I'm proud of NCOs like Sergeant First Class Weaver, Staff Sergeant Hultman and Sergeant Rebstock, who challenge themselves on a daily basis to bring out the best in themselves and their Soldiers."

McNeish said that all three NCOs confided that their motivation and inspiration to compete came from their first sergeants, who also served as their mentors.

"Behind every successful Soldiers there is a noncommissioned officer bringing out the best of us," the command sergeant major said.

Last year was eventful for Weaver, B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery platoon sergeant, because not only was he selected as NCO of the Quarter, in May he was inducted into the Fort Sill Chapter of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club (SAMC).

What does he attribute his success to?

"It took a lot of study and knowledge prepartion, and just getting your body fit ready," said Weaver, age 29.

Weaver also acknowledged 1st Sgt. Shane Hutchins, who helped him prepare for the NCO quarterly competition, and the SAMC application process.

Weaver's parents Daryl and Helen made the 600-mile drive from Colorado Springs, Colo., to attend the ceremony. His son, Mason, age 4, was also there.

Rebstock, D Battery, 1st Battalion, 79th Field Artillery, serves as a supply sergeant responsible for $1 million in assets. She said her biggest inspiration to compete is her father, Richard Rebstock, an Army veteran who lives in Missouri.

"Her really encourages me to do great things in the Army," said Rebstock, age 24.

She said she has new found responsibilities as the Soldier of the Year.

"I feel like a role model for all Soldiers, and I feel like I'm held not just to the standard, but to exceed the standard in everything I do ... and to be the subject matter expert that Soldiers can come to me," she said. "I feel like a leader."

Rebstock will now prepare for the TRADOC SoY competition this summer.

Hultman will transfer from Fort Sill this year and return to her communications military occupational specialty. She said being DSoY has opened up opportunities for her.

"It has allowed be to grow professionally, more than if I had stayed at a battery-level drill sergeant."

Maj. Gen. John Rossi, FCoE and Fort Sill presented the Soldiers with Army Commendation Medals; and Command Sgt. Maj. David Carr, Garrison CSM, awarded them the FCoE CSM coin of excellence. The awardees also received numerous gifts from post units, agencies and community sponsors.