POWIDZ, Poland - On a cloudy, cold November morning, Soldiers of all ranks crammed into small building at a staging base west of Powidz, Poland to witness a time-honored ceremony which all Soldiers partake in upon earning their Sergeant's stripes.
The ceremony was hosted by the 497th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion on Nov. 20, 2017 with the intent to welcome 20 newly-promoted sergeants to the NCO Corps as they experience the traditional rite of passage.
The idea for the ceremony while in Poland came from Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Arnt, 497th CSSB command sergeant major, who also served as a guest speaker and shared his wisdom and guidance to the inductees.
"You are the next generation of leadership that will fight the next war," Arnt told the inductees. "You will prepare your Soldiers. You will make tough decisions. You will be the one to uphold the standards."
The 497th CSSB is deployed to Poland as part of an American effort in Europe called Atlantic Resolve. The goal is to strengthen U.S. relations with allied and partnered nations while helping to provide defense against external aggression in the region.
During the ceremony each inductee walked across the stage, each pausing to pass under the NCO arches to signify their transition from junior Soldiers into the storied NCO Corps.
Among them was Puerto Rico-native Sgt. Carlos Rentas, who reflected on the memorable day and the importance of being inducted in the corps.
"It is a great accomplishment to be inducted into the Corps," said Rentas, an information technology specialist with 497th CSSB. "I feel very proud to be a member of the 'Backbone of the Army' and to be a part of this U.S. Army tradition."
Rentas said he joined the Army to follow in the footsteps of his father who is a retired sergeant major.
"It is important to pick up the role of a leader and be able to lead junior Soldiers into becoming future leaders," said Rentas. "This is what makes the U.S. Army strong and professional."
The induction concluded with the recital of the NCO Creed, as well as Arnt challenging the inductees to act on the imperative words of the charge and not just recite them.
"I challenge you to push yourself harder than before," Arnt said. "Do the right thing when no one is looking and act upon your words, and don't just say them."
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