Fourteen Soldiers stepped across the threshold into the corps of noncommissioned officers during a ceremony held at the 1917 Club, Aug. 16.
The tradition of passing a Soldier into the NCO Corps can be traced to the Continental Army’s winter quarters at Valley Forge. The Army would emerge from Valley Forge as a professional fighting force with strong NCOs.
An NCO is such an important part of the Army that it is routinely called its “backbone.” The NCO is the middle manager or first line supervisor who leads Soldiers from the front and gives them purpose, motivation and direction to accomplishing the mission.
“The place you are going is sacred, for it symbolizes the past, present and future of noncommissioned officer,” said Command Sgt. Maj. William Clancy, senior enlisted leader for Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion. “From this place you will carry out the responsibilities of your position. Never forget where you came from or that you must lead by example and always take care of your Soldiers.”
The ceremony, hosted by HHBN, began with the ceremonial lighting of candles representing various parts of the NCO.
First Sgt. Brantley Butler, with Headquarters and Company A, lit a gold candles representing the stripes NCOs wear; while 1st Sgt. Joseph Kilgore, with Company B, lit a red candle symbolizing the past and blood shed by Soldiers in combat; 1st Sgt. Lisa Bishop with Headquarters Support Company lit a white candle representing present and purity; and 1st Sgt. Shawn Cupp from the 282nd Army Band lit a blue candle representing the future and loyalty to the country.
Retired Master Sgt. Cedric King, whom Clancy described as “Army values in action,” spoke to the new NCOs about the significance of their positions.
King, a double amputee after surviving an improvised explosive device attack during a tour of Afghanistan, has completed 25 marathons and five of the six of the world’s major marathons.
He advised them to stay strong in their faith and to prepare for war whenever possible.
“You must take the opportunity every day to go to war,” he said. “Every morning, we all get the opportunity to go to war doing PT, every single morning …”
He spoke of the war within each person.
“There’s an enemy on the inside of each one of us, and if you are not willing to win the war against the enemy in here, there’s no way you beat the enemy over there,” he added. “Get an opportunity to defeat the enemy in you and as a leader, set high standards.”
Soldiers may complain about the tough standards, but in the end, they will be proud of the hard work they put in, said.
“Push your Soldiers. They want to be pushed. There isn’t but one person that can do it and it’s you.”
The Soldiers inducted into the NCO Corps during the ceremony were:
- Sgt. Blake Anderson, 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment
- Sgt. Daniel Gatson, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment
- Sgt. Michalee Gatson, 3rd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment
- Sgt. Jamichael Williams, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment
- Cpl. Ian Kovanda, Headquarters and Headquarters, 193rd Infantry Brigade
- Sgt. Mykal Davis, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment
- Sgt. Jalynn Knight, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment
- Sgt. Sean Lomax, 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment
- Cpl. Christian Haley, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment
- Sgt. Allison Winter, 360th Civil Affairs Brigade
- Sgt. Terrence Bell, 17th Military Police Detachment
- Sgt. Nathaniel Ellis, Co. B, HHBN
- Sgt. Mia Holmes-McCalla, HSC, HHBN
- Cpl. Cashmere Silas, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Moncrief Army Health Clinic
Social Sharing