HONOLULU -- On March 5, 2015, the Office of the Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM), on behalf of Command Sgt. Major Gerald Ecker, Command Sergeant Major, MEDCOM, announced the winner of the 2015 MEDCOM Inspector General (IG) Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year competition, Master Sgt. Joel Thomas from the Pacific Regional Medical Command (PRMC).
Thomas was nominated by his command to compete at the MEDCOM level based on his exemplary performance as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of the PRMC IG Office.
During the MEDCOM IG NCO of the Year competition, Thomas' military records were reviewed and his performance under the four IG functions (Assistance, Inspections, Investigations, and Teaching & Training) where compared against that of his fellow competitors.
Thomas was also required to write an essay on a topic of the Competition Selection Boards' choosing.
When the results came out, it was Thomas who was selected to go forward and represent the MEDCOM, later this spring, at the Department of the Army (DA) IG NCO of the Year competition.
The DA competition will have all of the same requirements of the MEDCOM competition, along with the added factor of an oral board, which Thomas will be required to attend via video teleconference (VTC).
"I think it is an honor and a privilege to be selected", Thomas said, "But I think most importantly that it be said that any success that I have ever experienced as an IG has always been because of the effort and assistance from the unit leadership; from the command, all the way down to the section leaders."
When asked about his preparation for the competition, Thomas responded with, "I really just did my job, just trying to be what I consider a good IG and being knowledgeable of the requirements. That is how I prepared."
Thomas, a Combat Medic (68W) by trade, has served as an IG for the past three and one-half years, simply because he saw it as an opportunity to, as he puts it, "…give back to the community and help Soldiers and family members."
Win or lose, once he is done with the DA IG NCO of the Year competition, Thomas' focus will shift to a new challenge, as he has been selected to attend the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA), Class 66, at Fort Bliss, Texas, starting in August 2015.
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