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FORT SILL, Okla., Nov. 12, 2020 -- The Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) could not perform the mission of training field artillery and air defense artillery Soldiers without those who shape instruction and follow through in classrooms every day.
The Instructor and Curriculum Developer of the Year recognition ceremony Nov. 6 in Kerwin Auditorium honored those who are the best at those professions.
Speaking to this year’s honorees, Col. Rich Harrison, Air Defense Artillery School commandant and chief of the ADA, said, “Everyone remembers their best teachers. I’m sure out there, there’s Soldiers and Marines who will remember you as their best teacher.”
Harrison said Fires Fifty No. 38 is apropos to their efforts: Training is a journey, not a destination.
“I see that as our proven developers help us develop that journey. You set the parameters for how we want to train our Soldiers and our Marines. Our instructors, you go with us along that journey. Leadership and learning is a lifelong endeavor and you help us do that,” said Harrison.
In a time when the Army said the Fires branches are a top priority, these curriculum developers and instructors put their all into their work.
For Nancy Goodell, Civilian Curriculum Developer of the Year, that responsibility meant using her ingenuity.
She developed the first Army-compliant program of instruction for the 14H Military Occupational Specialty. She was also a major contributor in developing lessons for the new common leader air and missile defense module that will be used in ADA advanced and senior leader courses.
Now, she is developing course material for 14G advanced individual training.
“I did think outside the box of what is typically designed and I worked closely with the instructors to get an idea of what they do in the classroom,” said Goodell. “I tried to make it better using technology, and more interactive and engaging with the students.”
When asked why he was selected for the Officer Instructor of the Year title, Maj. Michael Balaban said, “I think just the matter of time and effort I invested into providing the best instruction I could to my [short range air defense] students.”
He added being an instructor means having the chance to mold and develop his future replacements in the officer corps, “to carry on the torch of being a leader for the United States Army.”
The curriculum developers and instructors will move on to compete in the Training and Doctrine Command competition.
FCoE Officer Instructor of the Year: Maj. Michael Balaban, Headquarters and A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery
FCoE Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah Schaller, B Battery, 1st Battalion, 78th Field Artillery
FCoE Civilian Instructor of the Year: Benson Perkins, B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery
Marine Detachment Instructor of the Year: Staff Sgt. Kevin Botelho, Marine Artillery Detachment (MARDET)
FCoE Curriculum Developer of the Year: Staff Sgt. Nile Abdul-Malik, B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery
FCoE Civilian Curriculum Developer of the Year: Nancy Goodell, Department of Curriculum Development
Marine Detachment Curriculum Developer of the Year: Staff Sgt. Richard Bramhall III, MARDET
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