13th SMA visits KMC

As the Year of the NCO gains momentum across the Army, the 21st Theater Sustainment Command wasted no time getting the Army’s highest-ranking non-commissioned officer to come to the KMC and speak with Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen stationed here and across Germany.

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston,  13th sergeant major of the Army, spoke to about 1,500 servicemembers from the KMC, Bamberg, Mannheim, Baumholder and Heidelberg at Rhine Ordnance Barracks March 4.

During his briefing, Sergeant Major Preston highlighted the importance of the NCO corps and the significance of the Year of the NCO.

“(Chief of Staff of the Army) Gen. (George) Casey has said that our non-commissioned officers are really the glue that has held our force together over the last seven plus years in the Global War on Terror,” Sergeant Major Preston said. “Now that we are in our eighth year in the Global War on Terror, it really is our non-commissioned officers in thousands and thousands of locations around the world having success in small, little missions that has attributed to our success right now in the Global War on Terror.

“In turn, we want to recognize their contributions for all they’ve done for our units and organizations throughout the Global War on Terror,” he said, explaining the reason for naming 2009 the Year of the NCO.

Sergeant Major Preston also talked about his recent trip to Ukraine with Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Beam, the command sergeant major of U.S. Army, Europe and Seventh Army. Sergeant Major Preston and Command Sergeant Major Beam traveled to the Ukraine to see the progress of the Ukrainian army’s newly formed NCO corps and to speak at the first graduation of senior NCOs in the Ukrainian Army.

“It is the non-commissioned officer corps of America’s Army that is

emulated by armies all over the world,” he said.

During his speech, Sergeant Major Preston talked about issues the Army is currently facing, such as the current transformation of the Army.

“We are about 85 percent complete in the largest transformation in our Army since World War II,” he said.

Despite the multiple deployments Soldiers have been enduring, Sergeant Major Preston said the first quarter of of this year has been a great one for retention.

“The first quarter of FY09 has been the most successful retention quarter for re-enlistment in the Army’s history,” he said. “I’m very proud of what our Soldiers are doing to stay with the team, and I’m very proud of our leaders out there and all they’re doing to create that command climate where Soldiers want to continue to serve and want to continue to be a part of their organization.”

After Sergeant Major Preston’s speech, Soldiers lined up to meet him and have their pictures taken with him.

“I thought it was very informative. It’s nice to hear someone tell the

enlisted side of the story,” said Spc. John Avery, a rear detachment personnel and

administration center clerk for the 66th Transportation Company, 39th Trans-

portation Battalion.