There
is a story about a young Marine who won a medal for fearlessly charging an
enemy position. He was asked later how
he summoned the courage for such an act.
He replied, “I wasn’t running toward the enemy. I was running away from my sergeant.”
When
someone joins the military, it can be an unsettling experience. It’s an entirely new and alien
environment. They are rarely sure what
to do or when to do it. In those
moments, they look for help, direction, and assurance. The person they always look to is the one
with all the stripes. There, they will
find knowledge, wisdom, experience, encouragement, and the occasional kick in
the ass. That person is the
Non-Commissioned Officer. That leavening
influence in a unit is essential in the day-to-day of peacetime. It is absolutely critical in war.
It
takes someone special to be a soldier, and it takes something rare to lead
them. The roles of a Staff Sergeant are many and varied. They include training,
administration, instruction, counseling, discipline, and being the subject
matter expert on being a soldier. But
beyond those roles is leadership.
Soldiers
want and need to be led, whether they realize it or not. No matter how confident a soldier is, the
acquisition of experience takes time.
That requires the steadying influence of the “been there, done that”
NCO. Therefore, all NCOs are responsible
for teaching not only the technical aspects of this profession of arms but also
the value of discipline. In battle,
that discipline will keep a young soldier on the line. And alive.
However,
the most important things that an NCO can impart to the troops are the more
profound lessons of courage, honor, integrity, and commitment. These are the most important reasons for
wearing the uniform.
An
NCO helps soldiers grow as they respond to the challenges they face. To confront adversity, rather than turning
away. To learn what it takes to become a
leader. To find within themselves the
power and strength to stand their ground.
This was always for me, as a Chief Petty Officer, the most satisfying
and fulfilling aspect of my job, taking a raw, nervous, inexperienced kid and
watching them become a strong, confident, and skilled fighting sailor. I’m sure many of you standing here also
remember and treasure those moments in your careers.
Admiral
Mike Boorda, a Mustang who rose to the position of Chief of Naval Operations,
once told a group of Chief Petty Officers, “I may run the Navy. But I assure you, the Navy runs because of
you.” This is an undeniable finite truth
that applies to all the armed services.
All the great things the Army has ever done were because the Sergeants
made it happen. You are where the rubber
meets the road. Where battles are won…or
lost.
This
country will likely find itself in another war in the coming years. If that happens, you will be at the tip of
the spear. Know that the outcome of any
battle is absolutely dependent on all of you doing your duty. And on the sergeants to lead the way. But wherever you give battle, make sure that
the enemy knows that field belongs to the United States Army.
Sergeants,
your time is now. Step up. Stand tall. And lead.
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