FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Fort Rucker officials honored seven post instructors during the Instructor of the Year ceremony at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum Nov. 2.
Brig. Gen. Anthony G. Crutchfield, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker commanding general, spoke to the instructors and attendees about how important instructors are in the lives of young Soldiers.
"If you think what you do is not important, think again," he said. "I can still remember the names of my instructors and what they taught me. I would not be here today if it weren't for them. In 10 or 20 years, somebody will say that about you. That's why we're here to honor you."
Crutchfield continued by thanking the instructors and expressing to those in attendance how important it is to recognize those who teach others.
"We must continue to professionally develop an Aviation course," he said. "Without that, we would not have a Branch. It takes all of us to develop a professional course. The greatest mark we can leave on our Army, on our Branch, is to leave it in the hands of those who will follow us. The only way we can do that is by teaching them, and that's what you've done."
For the last four years, Staff Sgt. Eugene McCarty, Camp Shelby, Miss., 154th Regional Training Institute Warrior Leader Course instructor, has sung the National Anthem during the Instructor of the Year ceremony. He drives more than four hours at his own expense each year because, as a fellow instructor, he said it's important to honor those in a teaching position.
"I'm originally from Enterprise, so it's also a chance to come home and visit Family," he said. "Being an instructor, I can tell they're doing an outstanding job. It's a hard task, being an instructor, but it's very rewarding. When you train someone and you see what they achieve, it lets you know that you showed that Soldier the standard and what right looks like."
Academic Instructors of the Year
Maj. David W. Broussard, U.S. Army School of Aviation Medicine
CW4 Paul M. Sivacek, D Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment
Staff Sgt. Aramat T. Jackson, C Co., 1st Bn., 13th Avn. Regt.
George W. Bradford, C. Co., 1st Bn., 13th Avn. Regt.
Instructor Pilots of the Year
CW3 Harley R. Mast, E Co., 1st Bn., 212th Avn. Regt.
Eric D. Donop, 1st Bn., 14th Avn. Regt.
Flight Instructor of the Year
Staff Sgt. Charles Neal, F Co., 1st Bn., 212th Avn. Regt.
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