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NCO Journal September 2015 Articles

The official magazine of noncommissioned officer professional development

NCO Creates SHARP App To Aid Soldiers In An Emergency

By Meghan Portillo — NCO Journal

Sgt. 1st Class Sarah Whatley was taught to leave a unit better off than when she came to it, and that is exactly what she did. Whatley, the brigade sexual assault response coordinator, or SARC, for 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, has created a Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention application for mobile devices to help Soldiers and their leaders respond to sexual assaults. The app allows users to call the SHARP hotline, locate a hospital or contact brigade SARCs, victim advocates, the Family Advocacy Program, Child Protective Services, the military police or local police departments at the touch of a finger.

Article published on: September 29, 2015


This Month In NCO History: September 20, 1863 — The Youngest NCO Earns His Stripes

By Pablo Villa — NCO Journal

In the waning hours of the Battle of Chickamauga, a Confederate colonel on horseback happened upon a 12-year-old boy in a Union uniform lugging a sawed-off rifle. It was a muggy afternoon Sept. 20, 1863. Union forces were hastily retreating after their failed campaign to force the Confederates out of Chattanooga in the region along the Chickamauga River in northwest Georgia and southeastern Tennessee.

Article published on: September 24, 2015


WCAP Boxing Coach Says Success Is Possible Through Good Leadership

By Pablo Villa — NCO Journal

As a troubled youth, Staff Sgt. Joe Guzman says leaders and mentors changed his life. And now, after 16 years in the Army, he is changing the lives of others. That’s clearly evident in his current role as assistant coach for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program boxing team at Fort Carson, Colo., where since 2008 he has helped mold elite Soldier-athletes vying for a berth on the U.S. Olympic team.

Article published on: September 22, 2015


Friedrich Von Steuben: A Closer Look At The ‘Father’ Of The NCO Corps

By Pablo Villa — NCO Journal

The Army’s 239-year history is laden with momentous battles and monumental figures. But perhaps no personality had as great an impact on that story than the man called in to help start it — Friedrich von Steuben. Steuben’s portrait doesn’t grace any currency. His name may not evoke the same familiarity as Washington, Lincoln or Kennedy.

Article published on: September 18, 2015


Shake-Up In Promotion, NCOPD Policy A ‘Step’ In Right Direction

By Staff Sgt. Timothy D. Hughes — NCO Journal

The path to promotion in the Army’s Noncommissioned Officer Corps has been reshaped as the Army has rolled out its initiative to systematically realign the structure of its “backbone.”

Article published on: September 17, 2015


NCOS Take Over THAAD Instruction At New Fort Sill Facility

By Clifford Kyle Jones — NCO Journal

The $27 million Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Instructional Facility includes almost 100,000 square feet of learning and training space, state-of-the-art classroom equipment, revolutionary and highly classified lab systems, and of course working examples of one of the most advanced missile defense systems in the world. But it’s the facility’s NCOs who make the instruction work.

Article published on: September 15, 2015


Drill Sergeants, AIT Platoon Sergeant Of The Year Announced

By Jonathan (Jay) Koester — NCO Journal

The final day of the 2015 Drill Sergeant and AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year competitions began with a 12-mile ruck march. As each of the competitors completed the last quarter mile of the march, they were greeted with cheers and the inspiring strains of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” With the ruck march complete, the competition was finally over and there was nothing left but to wait for the final announcement. After four days of grueling competition, the three winners were announced Thursday night.

Article published on: September 11, 2015


NCO Competitors Persevere With ‘Determination And Grit’

By Jonathan (Jay) Koester — NCO Journal

As the 2015 Drill Sergeant and AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year competitions continued for a third day Wednesday, the competitors were feeling the effects of being pushed to their limits. The noncommissioned officers were all dealing with heat, humidity and a blistering pace of events. Several had bandages covering up blisters and bruises. But none were giving up.

Article published on: September 10, 2015


Weather, Events Test Drill Sergeant, AIT Platoon Sergeant Of The Year Competitors

By Jonathan (Jay) Koester — NCO Journal

High temperatures and humidity greeted competitors at the 2015 Drill Sergeant and AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year competitions Tuesday. It was the second day of the competition and participants navigating the confidence obstacle course at Fort Jackson, S.C., were challenged even further by rising temperatures. An event scheduled for late Tuesday afternoon was eventually postponed because of the weather conditions.

Article published on: September 9, 2015


Drill Sergeant, AIT Platoon Sergeant Competitions Begin With Formal Board

By Jonathan (Jay) Koester — NCO Journal

The 14 competitors in the 2015 Drill Sergeant and AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year competition hope you enjoyed your Labor Day. They spent their day going through a formal board interview and a written test.

Article published on: September 8, 2015


Biologist Arms Soldiers With Training On Biochemical Crises

By Martha C. Koester — NCO Journal

Surrounded by biochemical hazards on a daily basis, Carrie Poore wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than training noncommissioned officers and their Soldiers to spot chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear targets and explosives in the field.

Article published on: September 3, 2015


ECBC Teams Up With Soldiers To Thwart WMD Threats

By Martha C. Koester — NCO Journal

In the mission to protect the homeland from emerging threats, the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center stands ready to help Soldiers adapt to a changing world — one which includes combating weapons of mass destruction.

Article published on: September 1, 2015