FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Feb. 4, 2016) -- When Pfc. Francisco Malave-Sosa, a petroleum supply specialist with the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, joined the Army from Puerto Rico, he said he wanted to be a part of something - to wear the uniform as his father and his grandfather did before him.
A year-and-a-half later, he participated in something that was simply "awesome," as he and his unit got to run during physical fitness, or PT, with Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey during the leader's first visit here this week.
"I was just excited to see him. And do PT with him. And to see how he was with Soldiers," Malave-Sosa said.
That's just one of Dailey's leadership mantra's: to start every morning leading your troops in PT.
"PT may not be the most important thing [that] you [do] that day, but it is the most important thing you do every day in the United States Army," he said during a town hall here. "You're gonna hear me say it, 'if you aren't out there leading your Soldiers during physical fitness training, then you're not their leader,' and that's the truth."
Dailey spoke to Soldiers, Families and others about the importance of overall Army readiness: Army Chief of Staff, or CSA, Gen. Mark A. Milley's number one priority, and individual Soldier readiness during a time with end-strength reductions.
"Every Soldier's got to get ready to fight," said Dailey regarding Soldiers on nondeployment status. "We've got to get really serious about that."
During the town hall, he spoke about the state of the Army, where it's at, and where it's headed in respect to its current image, physical fitness standards, deployment readiness, promotions, drawdown, recruiting, gender integration, Soldier for Life, civilian certification, and credentialing of Army occupations, among other hot topics.
He then encouraged Soldiers to ask questions on any topic.
"You can ask anything you want," he said. "Everything you ask me - unfiltered, they will read; the CSA and Army secretary are very interested in seeing my travel reports."
Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Cazinha, a mortar platoon sergeant at 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and a former recruiter, asked Dailey to address the troubles he saw in recruiting and how they could affect unit readiness.
Dailey said he thinks the future is bright for the Army's recruiting efforts and believes that the drastic changes in leadership and culture has been its greatest contribution.
"I wanted to know if there would be any changes in the recruiting atmosphere in how we recruit for Soldiers," Cazinha said. "In the end, I think he hit it. It felt good [to ask him]."
Other Soldiers asked about tougher physical fitness test standards, the new maternity leave policy and possible additions to it, and anticipated changes to the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, or SHARP, policy.
Before departing, Dailey charged the Soldiers with the responsibility of helping enhance the Army's perception as the most trusted organization in America.
During his visit, Dailey visited Soldiers within the Noncommissioned Officer's Academy; SHARP program; Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program; 1st Brigade Combat Team Dining Facility; and a group of new Soldiers during inprocessing. As Dailey toured the base, he said he couldn't be prouder of it and the community around it.
"I've had a long history of tough fighting alongside 10th Mountain Division Soldiers," he said. "The division, with its traditions and honor, is greatly respected. It is not the Army's base. It's the community's base because outside these gates, they've got our back."
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