CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq - Sgt. Irving Newberry, a Washington native and an A Company, 15th Special Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), multi-channel transmission system operator-maintainer won the noncommissioned officer of the month board for his battalion here Dec. 29.
NCO of the month boards, like Soldier of the month boards, test a Soldier's knowledge of various Army-related topics and reviews their performance in relation to competing Soldiers.
Newberry said he studied intensely to earn the title of NCO of the month despite his many regular and additional duties.
While studying for the board he helped two Soldiers in his platoon study for the Soldier of the month board and continued to supervise his Soldiers while working from midnight to 8:00 a.m. each day. Newberry was also the senior unit prevention leader and an alternate fire marshal and safety NCO in charge for A Co., Newberry said.
Though not in Newberry's section, he helped Spc. Krystal Small and Pfc. Jesus Betancourt, both A Co. nodal network systems operators, study and gave them advice on how to perform at the Soldier of the month board, he said.
Newberry said Small and Betancourt did not win the competition but did very well. Small was a board veteran who attributed her past success to Newberry's advice and mentorship. It was Betancourt's first board.
Newberry continued to train and mentor the soldiers of his platoon to strive and succeed in future boards, he said. One of his Soldiers decided to go to the Soldier of the month board as a result.
Newberry said he would focus on studying for the next NCO of the quarter board.
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