I have served in the Polish army over 24 years in various positions and in different garrisons. Before I came to the Sergeant Major Academy, I was working as the Sergeants Major in the First Driving Training Centre in Grudziadz. Even if I am now in...
In November 2006, A Troop 5/73 Cavalry, 3rd BCT, 82nd ABN Division reunited with the rest of the Squadron at FOB Caldwell (Kirkush Military Training Base, KMTB) after being detached to the 3rd BCT, 4th IN Division for a period of four months in...
Sometimes running can be exciting, sometimes it can even be a challenge, for me running has always been somewhat of a lifestyle. When a person talks about running, whether in the frame of just staying in shape, or being a competitive runner, there...
In the summer of 2005, I was assigned as the S3 Exercises NCOIC of the 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency (TMCA), headquartered on Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The TMCA belonged to the 21st Theater Support Command (TSC) and...
The Schnitzel was a pivotal learning experience in my military career. A flattened piece of pork breaded and fried to perfection was not just a meal, but also an experience in leadership, discipline and responsibility. I made a conscious decision...
The greatest honor of my 19 years in the Army occurred when I deployed as the First Sergeant of D Troop, 3-17th Cavalry Squadron, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade in support of 3rd Infantry Division’s mission during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)...
As the United States moves into another decade of fighting the war on terrorism, we must take into consideration the 44,000 injured Americans left in the wake of this war. With all of the physical and emotional issues that these Soldiers are...
Different units face multiple requirements in preparation for future deployments and current operations. The mission requirements for the S-4 section faced many obstacles. From the October 2009 through June 2010, I participated in pre-deployment,...
The U.S. Army has had a difficult time meeting its recruiting goals for the last several years. Recruiting Command has attempted to correct the situation by transferring more Soldiers from the main stream Army as recruiters. The new strategy took...
The Coast Guard needs more and sufficiently trained enlisted members in their major acquisitions programs to facilitate the production of better, more appropriate and more useable products for the fleet. The Coast Guard still has a need to...
The infantry battalion that I was with for Operation Iraqi Freedom did an excellent job of adjusting its training to meet the demands of the ever-changing missions and lessons learned from its area of operation. The Marines and Sailors in the...
The first three years of United States Army Reserve (USAR) deployment rotations were a challenging time for everyone, but particularly for those left in the rear. At that time, there was no plan in place for the establishment of a rear detachment....
For 20 months I had the honor to be the Sergeant Major in a Special Forces Company. A SF Company consists of six Operational Detachments (Alpha) or ODAs and one Operational Detachment (Bravo). This story will unveil the good, bad, and sad times of...
Military Transition Teams (MiTT) are responsible for assisting the Iraqi Army in transitioning to an all-volunteer force. My forty Soldier team was formed at Ft. Hood prior to deployment to Iraq for initial training. Our team’s Task Organization...
As the Afghan Regional Security Integration Command-West (ARSIC-W) CSM in 2008, I would best describe the Italian commanded Western Afghanistan as a chicken wire canoe. Built quickly and on the cheap, even though it may have slightly resemble a...
The Hawaii Army National Guard Recruiting force received a mission to convert all Recruiters into Recruiting and Retention NCOs. This brought lots of animosity to the Career Counselors of the Hawaii Army National Guard. They were told to join the...
The U.S. Army is the most powerful force in the world because of the high degree of communications within its ranks. While most civilians emphasize the job the front line Soldiers do, the communications portion is often overlooked. It goes...
History tells us that Germany had a rekindling of patriotism in the 1930's, and during a weekend Track and Field competition, a young boy the name of Günter won a relay race to win his team track and field tournament. This was not the proudest...
MSG James' assignment with the 741st AG Co, Orlando, FL, indicated Platoon Sergeant: but performed primary duties of Training NCO and other functions as required. Her story tells of continuous Army Reserve postal units' participation in various...
The experience you are about to read is not that of combat. This experience does not have the glamour of jumping out of planes, nor does it have me receiving the Purple Heart. The combat and airborne experiences only connect some. I think this...