3-13th Field Artillery Soldiers sweep quarterly awards

By Cannoneer staffDecember 13, 2012

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Sgt. Spencer Black and Cpl. Benny Stetson, both of 3rd Battalion, 13th Field Artillery, are the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the 4th quarter, respectively. They were honored during a ceremony Dec. 6,... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SILL, Okla. -- The 75th Fires Brigade's 3rd Battalion, 13th Field Artillery swept the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill fourth quarter Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier awards during a ceremony Dec. 6 at the Patriot Club.

Cpl. Benny Stetson, 66th Forward Support Company, and Sgt. Spencer Black, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, were the NCO and Soldier of the Quarter, respectively.

"It's really an honor, especially being recognized as a corporal representing the noncommissioned officer corps," said Stetson, 32, a radio and communications security repairer. "I worked very hard for it and got good support from my family, my NCOs and mentors."

Black, 23, works as the command driver for a command sergeant major.

"It's really a high honor and I'm very appreciative of it," said Black, who holds a Multiple Launch Rocket System Crewmmember MOS. "There was some stiff competition."

Black's supervisor, Staff Sgt. Frank Borba, 3-13th FA task force section chief, described him as an outstanding Soldier.

"As a young specialist he had (self-) motivation and natural drive," Borba said. "He really did want to be the best in everything that he did."

Stetson was introduced by one of his subordinates Spc. Howard Montgomery, 66th FSC, truck driver.

"I couldn't ask for a better supervisor. He is a great Soldier and a great leader," Montgomery said. "He motivates and inspires me."

Melissa Stetson said she was extremely proud of her husband's accomplishments, and that he worked very hard to become the NCO of the Quarter. She also said she helped him study for the rigorous boards.

"We had a lot of study time together, so I almost know as much as he does about the Army," she said.

Keynote speaker Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Soto Bonilla, 75th FiB CSM, thanked the honorees for taking the challenge to compete in their unit's NCO and Soldier monthly competition.

"You took the first step in setting yourself apart from your peers and aspired to be the best leader you could be," said the command sergeant major. "The decision to compete for something larger than yourself and to be recognized as a cut-above is a source of personal pride."

Ceremony host Col. Donald Fryc, Air Defense Artillery School commandant and chief of ADA, said what 3-13th FA accomplished, they did as a team. The ceremony was a recognition of the Soldiers' and America's passion for winning.

Reflecting on Pearl Harbor Day, Fryc said, a lot of artillerymen lost their lives that day.

"But if you want to find out what America is made of let's track back the amount of wins in the last 71 years. We've honored all those who lost their lives that day," Fryc said. "That's what we're made of."

Stetson was born in Fayetteville, N.C., and he graduated from Pine Island (Minn.) High School in 1998. He entered the Army in August 2009, in Sioux Falls, S.D. He said he chose to become a radio and communications security repairer because of his civilian background in electronics. He possesses an associate degree in computer science.

Stetson's awards include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and NCO Professional Development Ribbon.

Born in Layton, Utah, Black graduated from Clearfield (Utah) High School in 2007. He joined the Army in April 2009, attending Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, S.C. At Advanced Individual Training in September 2010, he was the honor graduate in the 13M course.

His awards include the Army Achievement Medal for meritorious service for his efforts at Camp Casey, Korea. In July 2012, he was selected as the 3-13th FA Soldier of the Month.

For their achievements, Stetson and Black were awarded the Army Commendation Medal; FCoE and Fort Sill commanding general's and CSM's coins of excellence; plaques from the Fort Sill Sergeants Major Association; lithographs of the FA Schoolhouse; and more than $1,300 from community sponsors, agencies and units.

In January, Fort Sill will recognize its 2012 NCO and Soldier of the Year.