Army Reserve Soldiers meet new CSM

Army Reserve Soldiers based in Europe met their new Army Reserve senior enlisted leader during a weekend battle assembly March 6 to 7 in Kaiserslautern while on a worldwide tour to meet members of his new command.

Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Schultz, the command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Reserve Command, is the 11th command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Reserve and took charge Feb 1. He replaced Command Sgt. Maj. Leon Caffie who retired Feb. 1 after serving in the position since August 2006. Command Sergeant Major Schultz became chief adviser on all enlisted matters for more than 150,000 Soldiers in the Army Reserve.

After his recent trip to Italy and Kosovo and speaking to Soldiers in Germany, Command Sergeant Major Schultz said he was impressed with the professionalism of the Soldiers.

“I’ve been really impressed on this visit here with all the Soldiers we’ve met,” he said. “Soldiers showed motivation and displayed joy in being part of the Army Reserve.”

Master Sgt. Yolanda Meekie, the mobilization noncommissioned office in charge of the 7th Civil Support Command, was one of a number of senior NCOs who had the opportunity to sit down for lunch with the command sergeant major at the local dining facility.

“I thought that he’s a Soldier’s Soldier,” Sergeant Meekie said. “He’s really concerned about the senior NCOs and all NCOs, basically, doing their job. And I think that he’s going to do a great job in that position.”

Later, Command Sergeant Major Schultz addressed the audience of Reserve Soldiers and family members during a town hall meeting in the Kaiserslautern Community Activity Center on Daenner Kaserne. One of his key messages was about reshaping the force by focusing on senior enlisted management.

Command Sergeant Major Schultz said his goal is to ensure sergeants major and first sergeants are taking care of Soldiers. He wants to remove the non performers — the senior NCOs who stop being mentors to their subordinates.

He said enlisted leaders must get up close and personal with their subordinates.

 “What we’ve lost is candor and of those seven Army values — loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and my favorite, personal courage,” he said. “We have a lot of NCOs in senior leadership positions who have lost that personal courage.”

Command Sergeant Major Schultz said it may be hard for leaders to say it because it may embarrass or hurt the NCO’s pride, but it is not the intent.

Then, he brought up the fact of those who don’t listen or don’t get it. Command Sergeant Major Schultz said go to the next step; write a counseling statement explaining how to take action because maybe he or she does not know how to do it.

 “We call those performance steps — here’s what you need to do. Here’s the course of action,” he said. “And then after that third time, if he still doesn’t get it, what I need to do is reevaluate.”

We may have to consider moving those NCOs out of our ranks, he said.
He then turned the tables. He said senior enlisted leaders need to conduct a self-evaluation.

“Are you at that point when you’re not being candid with your Soldiers,” Command Sergeant Major Schultz said. “In telling them here’s what you need to do to get better. Here’s what you need to do to get to the next level. Here’s what you need to do every day to take care of your Soldiers below you. Are you doing that?”

Thereafter, he asked if leaders are at a point in their career where they are just riding it out.

“So, think about it,” he said, leaving the audience with that task. In closing, he asked the enlisted leaders to help him help them, and most importantly, to help the Soldiers who are out there. Command Sergeant Major Schultz said he looks forward to serving with them and for them and that it has been an honor and a privilege to do just that.

Command Sergeant Major Schultz is scheduled to continue his tour in Japan and Korea.