JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - There are approximately 2.5 million Soldiers in Army's ranks. Of those, there are roughly 15,000 Soldiers in the Warrant Officer Corps and approximately 550 who achieve the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5.
The 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), now has the distinction of having two of that 2 percent of the Army after promoting Darryll L. Simpkins to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Aug. 7.
Chief Warrant Officer Simpkins, the 3rd Sustainment Bde. Senior Ordnance Logistics Technician and a Millen, Ga., native, has more than 27 years of active service and has served in every facet of the U.S. Army, said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Martin Olinger, the 3rd Sustainment Bde.'s Equipment Readiness Division officer in charge and a Hinesville, Ga. native.
"He's worked hard, long and it is well deserved. He's had a breadth of backgrounds, including serving at all levels of command and types of units," said Chief Warrant Officer Olinger. "He absolutely deserves this promotion. I am very proud of him."
Chief Warrant Officer Simpkins said he was happy about the promotion but also modest in the way he got to where he is in his military career.
"I'm so excited. Words can't describe how I feel," he said. "This promotion wasn't so much about me ,but more about my Family and the Soldiers that I have served with over all these years."
He added that his Family never judged him by his rank, but what makes him happy also makes them happy. He felt so strongly about this that he ensured that they could witness the entire ceremony via Web cam.
"My Family already thought I was the greatest Soldier in the world when I made E-2," he said. "They are all very proud of me. My daughter starts college next year, so I would like to spend more time with her. My near-term goal is that I want to spend more time in my dad duties."
Speaking of goals, Chief Warrant Officer Simpkins said making the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5 has always been a goal of his.
"I'm a goal-oriented person," he said. "I have a list of goals and I work toward them, and this was a long term goal. I guess I need to come up with a new long term goal."
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