FORT STEWART, Ga. -- "Who has been the spearhead for the Army during last few wars? You all right here, the Rock of the Marne, the 3rd Infantry Division."
These are just some of the opening remarks made by the Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel Dailey, as he spoke to Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division during his visit to Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, May 4 and 5.
Dailey's visit was bittersweet, as it was a homecoming of a sort for him. He had served here in the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment and as a senior instructor of the Primary Leadership Development Course, and had many fond memories set deep in the bricks and mortar of the Rock of the Marne.
"It's very special feeling coming back here; you know I raised my family here…I took my son to the beach here," said Dailey.
There has been a lot of change since Dailey's time here ended in 2000, however. War and hard work have come to define the 3rd Infantry Division.
"You can see all the hard work and dedication of the Soldiers…the 3rd ID has committed so much, and it hits hard when you see the sacrifice, and the memorial...all those trees, and you know they came at a cost, but the Soldiers won't be forgotten," Dailey said.
As the Sergeant Major of the Army toured the facility, he had multiple opportunities to stop and talk with Soldiers. One of the reoccurring messages heard was the importance of individual Soldier readiness.
"We're a phenomenal Army, but we can never forget the fact that we can get better," said Dailey. "We're always somewhat in a state of repair in the Army, and we are that way now. Twelve years of war takes its toll on Soldiers and families, but we need to continue to build that readiness, and it starts with individual responsibility."
Readiness, such a small word for such an all-encompassing concept for any Soldier. With the world getting ever more complex and fraught with conflict, it should come as no surprise that the overall concern from the senior enlisted leader of the Army is whether or not the force is ready.
Of course readiness is necessary for a Soldier in order to achieve their purpose -- the purpose that the Sergeant Major of the Army made clear while speaking to the Spearhead of the Army, the Rock of the Marne.
"What are Soldiers for? They're to fight and win for this nation."
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