Nine newly promoted sergeants from 1st Theater Sustainment Command joined the ranks of the noncommissioned officer corps during an NCO induction ceremony held at Fort Knox's Olive Theater Sept. 30.
Command Sgt. Maj. Cheryl N.M. Greene, senior enlisted advisor for 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, was the guest speaker at the event.
"Today, we celebrate your accomplishments as we pay tribute to the past, present and future noncommissioned officers," Greene said. "You will become a member of an elite organization called the noncommissioned officer corps. The noncommissioned officer corps is the backbone of the Army.
"You will become one of the caretakers, and your role will change dramatically from that of one of the Soldiers to that of a leader. With this, you will bear the awesome responsibility of caring for Soldiers and executing the mission as set forth by your leadership."
The induction ceremony is considered a traditional rite of passage that marks a Soldiers' transition from junior enlisted to NCO.
Newly inducted Sgt. Bjorn Jacobson, Secretary of the General Staff operations NCO at 1st TSC, said he looks forward to what he will be able to accomplish as an NCO.
"All the work starts to pay off now," Jacobson said. "It's not just earning the promotion, but now I have the chance to teach the Soldiers below me all that I've learned, so they can reap the same rewards that I have."
Following the induction, the participants held a symposium where NCOs presented information on a variety of topics dealing with the future growth of the Army, its new strategies, and how NCOs can support those strategies.
The theme of the symposium was "investing now for a stronger tomorrow," according to Sgt. Maj. Jorge Otero, senior operations advisor, 1st TSC.
Symposium topics included information on the NCO 2020 strategy, merit-based promotions, Army Futures Command, and multidomain operations. The event culminated with a question-and-answer forum.
"The purpose of the symposium is really for us to start getting our junior NCOs ready for what is coming down the line," said Otero -- "having them gain some understanding of the new strategies, and try to get them better prepared for those strategies."
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