REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama -- From the first time a Soldier checks into his unit to the first time he deploys, the first leader he looks to is his first sergeant.
Since joining the Army in January 2003, 1st Sgt. James K. MacKay, B Company, 53rd Signal Battalion (Satellite Control), has served in Germany, Afghanistan, Georgia and Maryland.
As the unit first sergeant, his two primary roles are to be the senior enlisted adviser to the commander and the senior noncommissioned officer in the local NCO chain.
"The mentorship, development and care for my Soldiers and their families is my chief concern as this translates my company into a ready and able force capable of accomplishing a tough and complex mission of significant strategic importance," MacKay said.
MacKay talked about what he likes about the unit and the role it plays in the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command mission.
"I very much enjoy the sense of trust that defines our unit," MacKay said. "Our battalion is decentralized, so the battalion leadership has to extend a great deal of trust to us, which we treat as a tremendous responsibility. That trust comes with clear and achievable measurements for success, and we in turn extend this model downward to our squads, who work 24/7 to keep the mission maintained. In the same way that this trust and clarity of mission empowers us and energizes my commander and me to steward what we have been given, I see the same type of positive impact at all levels within our company.
"Regarding USASMDC/ARSTRAT as a whole, it is a great privilege to be a part of an organization that does so much for so many," he added. "It is humbling to be the backdrop upon which so much of combat power rests, even if many of those who rely on us never know our names. It is enough to know that we are able to extend our military's ability to prevent, shape and win conflicts around the globe thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Black Dragons and our sister companies worldwide."
MacKay explained how his past experiences have helped him get to where he is today.
"Mentorship has been the key to my success, period," MacKay said. "I have had the incredible privilege of being mentored and coached by the absolute best NCOs and officers the Army has to offer. I have never been far from leaders who kept me effectively and purposefully stressed, always kept at the limits of my abilities in order to condition me to grow or die.
"This conditioning, which literally began on the first day I signed into my first unit and continues to this day, helped me embrace the positives of hard times and to help others do the same," he added. "There is little as satisfying as having Soldiers come to me the same way I came to my mentors in the past."
MacKay also mentioned the person who had the biggest impact on him professionally.
"My biggest influence in the Army was retired Sgt. 1st Class Roderick Miller," MacKay said. "He took me under his wing in the in-processing briefing at my first unit, and has been coaching me ever since. Prior to joining the Army, I had no sense of humility nor a real sense of professional purpose. He taught me how to be genuine with myself, to seek what was best in both myself and others, and to make the absolute most of the talents I had and do my utmost to develop what didn't come easily by nature. He lived by the total Soldier concept before the Army ever codified it and taught me to do the same. I'll never forget him."
MacKay took a minute to give advice to young Soldiers who are just beginning to be all they can be.
"Don't be afraid to need help," MacKay said. "When a Soldier struggles - whether that's with physical training, their technical certifications, or other life issues - the easiest thing in the world to say is 'I'm OK.' The problem with it is that isn't true, and only widens the gulf between the Soldier and those who have made a choice to live a life dedicated to leading and cultivating them.
"There will be times when you don't know what to do, can't manage to get over, under, around or through," he added. "These are the times you need to engage with your leaders, let them do what they love to do. You wouldn't run from a medic when you're wounded, don't run from your NCOs when you struggle."
On a personal note, MacKay talked about serving in Stuttgart, Germany, and how it is a wonderful city with some of the most beautiful scenery he has ever see and some of the nicest people he has ever met.
He also discussed what he likes to do during his time away from work.
"I like to spend time with my daughter and wife, and together we enjoy cooking, music and playing video games," MacKay said. "We are a digital family, and my son (a combat medic who completed his enlistment and is currently attending college in Colorado) and I spend time playing games together online with my daughter providing colorful commentary. I am also in a Ska band that combines elements of Caribbean music with American Jazz and Rhythm and Blues, and we play shows in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., pretty regularly, with an album coming out this fall. Hobbies are important."
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