Vice chief presents MacArthur leadership awards to top company-grade officers

By Thomas Brading, Army News ServiceOctober 6, 2021

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Joseph M. Martin speaks before presenting the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Awards at the Pentagon, Oct. 5, 2021. The awards have been given annually to the Army's top company-grade officers since 1988.
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Joseph M. Martin speaks before presenting the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Awards at the Pentagon, Oct. 5, 2021. The awards have been given annually to the Army's top company-grade officers since 1988. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Kevin Roy) VIEW ORIGINAL
Twenty-eight of the Army's top company-grade officers were awarded the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award by Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Joseph M. Martin during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Oct. 5, 2021.
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Twenty-eight of the Army's top company-grade officers were awarded the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award by Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Joseph M. Martin during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Oct. 5, 2021. (Photo Credit: Screenshot image) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON -- The Army’s vice chief of staff presented the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award to the top 28 company-grade officers during a ceremony at the Pentagon Tuesday.

Gen. Joseph M. Martin said the awardees were among the Army’s best and that each of them carried out tough, diverse assignments while always remembering the Army values.

“You're able to live up to a shared set of values; the values of leadership, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage,” he said.

“These past years have been hard on our nation and our Army is no exception to that,” he added. “We must work hard to continue to build cohesive teams throughout the force characterized by relationships built on trust, mutual respect, and empathy.”

For over three decades, the MacArthur award has been presented to officers and warrant officers whose service has been recognized as among the finest in the regular Army, Reserve and the National Guard.

The award’s namesake, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, led United Nations forces during the Korean War after he commanded troops in the Southwest Pacific during World War II. In all, the five-star general received two Purple Hearts, seven Silver Stars, five Army Distinguished Service Medals, three Distinguished Service Crosses and the Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor was a family affair for MacArthur, as his father was also awarded the Medal of Honor after the Battle of Missionary Ridge during the Civil War.

According to Martin, company-grade officers should show young leaders by example how to truly care for Soldiers. The more they show how much they care, the more junior leaders will care, too.

“Last year [Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville] used a quote, which I think is relevant, even now,” Martin said. “I think it was [President] Teddy Roosevelt that said: Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

He then told the audience to live by those words, identify when others are struggling, take action when needed and care for Soldiers.

While speaking with the awardees, who sat socially distanced in the Pentagon auditorium, Martin also thanked the officers for their hard work during such a “tumultuous time for our nation,” he said. “Without a doubt, you’ve upheld Gen. MacArthur’s maxim of duty, honor [and] country.

“Over the past year and a half, you've been at the frontlines of delivering medical supplies, distributing vaccines, battling wildfires, helping the victims of natural disasters, assisting law enforcement during civil unrest and helping to secure our southern border.

“And that's not all,” he continued, “While serving and protecting the American people here at home, the Army continued its work abroad in over 140 countries, combating extremist groups, building and strengthening relationships with our allies and partners and deterring aggression from our adversaries.”

Although McConville was unable to attend, the VCSA said the Army’s top officer congratulated the awardees. In closing, the general said he was proud to call each of the winners a fellow Soldier and serve alongside them.

List of awardees

Capt. Emily Bessler, U.S. Army Pacific Command

Capt. Bradley Buss, U.S. Army Forces Command

Capt. Sungkuyn Chang, FORSCOM

Capt. Cole Herring, U.S. Army Special Operations Command

Capt. Justin Kman, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command

Capt. Ian MacPherson, FORSCOM

Capt. Tyler Morgan, FORSCOM

Capt. Marcus Mustin, TRADOC

Capt. Tyrone Norman, FORSCOM

Capt. Nicolas Ondovcsik, FORSCOM

Capt. Sondra Setterington, USASOC

Capt. Shawn Sororian, FORSCOM

CW2 David Cleveland, USASOC

CW2 Parker Reading, USASOC

Capt. Cody Brekken, North Dakota Army National Guard

Capt. Brady Dearden, District of Columbia ANG

Capt. John Ekblad, Illinois ANG

Capt. Jacob Johnson, Iowa ANG

Capt. Christopher Milum, Arkansas ANG

Capt. Jordan Schultz, Wisconsin ANG

CW2 John Tierney, Illinois ANG

Capt. Glenn Fagan, U.S. Army Reserve Command

Capt. Sean Glendening, USARC

Capt. Nina Kazibwe, USARC

Capt. Elizabeth Ryan, USARC

Capt. Tyler Siskowic, USARC

Capt. Ryan Stallings, USARC

CW2 Jordan Milo, USARC

Related links:

Video: Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Awards ceremony

Army.mil history: Gen. Douglas MacArthur

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