Military

Best of the best: Fort Rucker names Soldier, NCO of the year

FORT RUCKER, Ala. — Fort Rucker named its Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum Sept. 15.

Sgt. Keely Misemer, C Company, 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation Regiment, and Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Beauchamp, NCO Academy Senior Leader Course small group leader, were named Soldier and NCO of the year, respectively, during a short induction ceremony.

Both said they felt honored to be given such a prestigious award, and they hope to pass on the knowledge and skills they have attained to fellow Soldiers and NCOs.

“This is really a great event for me,” Misemer said. “I think every Soldier should try to become Soldier of the Year. It takes a lot of studying and a little effort, but it’s worth it.”

Misemer plans to continue moving forward in her military career and hopes to compete for another high honor in the near future.

“My immediate goal is to pass on what I’ve learned and help other Soldiers achieve their goals,” she said. “I also really want to (be inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy club).”

Beauchamp said he doesn’t plan to work toward getting any more awards for now, but he does plan to motivate his Soldiers to pursue their own goals.

“I accomplished my goal of leading by example,” he said. “From here, I plan to continue representing my unit to the best of my ability.”

He echoed Misemer in encouraging other Soldiers and NCOs to work hard when attempting to gain high honors.

“Study hard and prepare because it takes a lot of work to get there,” he said. “Everyone should make the most of the opportunities they’re given.”

Guest speaker retired Sgt. Maj. Bufford Thomas, former installation command sergeant major, congratulated the Soldiers, but reminded them of the responsibility they have after receiving the honor.

“The NCO and Soldier of the Year program is a mentorship program for enlisted servicemembers,” he said. “A senior leader recognized the demonstrated potential in these Soldiers. These Soldiers are prepared to lead and accomplish any mission at any time. It is required and expected that these Soldiers become leaders and mentors of their peers to make sure they’re trained to the best of their abilities.”

The official statement from the White House:

ACTION FROM WHICH THE MEDAL OF HONOR WAS EARNED:

Then-Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta distinguished himself by acts of gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifle team leader with Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment during combat operations against an armed enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan on October 25, 2007. 

When an insurgent force ambush split Specialist Giunta’s squad into two groups, he exposed himself to enemy fire to pull a comrade back to cover. Later, while engaging the enemy and attempting to link up with the rest of his squad, Specialist Giunta noticed two insurgents carrying away a fellow soldier. He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other, and provided medical aid to his wounded comrade while the rest of his squad caught up and provided security.  His courage and leadership while under extreme enemy fire were integral to his platoon’s ability defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American paratrooper from enemy hands.

Army Guardsman receives Soldier’s Medal for bravery

By Sgt. Darron Salzer, National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., (Army News Service, Aug. 19, 2010) — “An angel in disguise” is how Army Maj. Nathlon Jackson was described by Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley at a ceremony at the Army National Guard Readiness Center Wednesday.

McKinley, who is the chief of the National Guard Bureau, presented the Soldier’s Medal to Jackson, adding that “Soldiers like Jackson are what the National Guard is all about, people helping those in need.”

The Soldier’s Medal is the highest non-combat medal awarded for heroism.

On Jan. 11, Jackson, who is section chief for the Army Guard’s enlisted policy branch, was walking from the readiness center to her car for lunch, when she saw smoke pouring from a house.

“As I walked over to the house, I could smell that something was burning, rather than it being smoke from a pot burning in the kitchen,” she said. “I opened the mail slot with my hand and started to yell inside ‘hello, hello’ to see if anyone was home.”

A neighbor from across the street came outside during the commotion and told Jackson that someone was inside the burning house. She also provided Jackson with a key to the residence.

Jackson entered the home and proceeded up to the bedroom, where she found Shirley Rollins, who was overcome by smoke.

Rollins, who attended the award ceremony and who has lived in the neighborhood next to the readiness center for 62 years, said that she remembers nothing from that day.

“I remember going to bed the night before, but I don’t remember waking up to smoke,” she said. “Since I live by myself, nobody else was there, and the cat was gone, but neighbors … came to rescue me.”

During the ceremony, Rollins thanked an emotional Jackson for being such a wonderful person and thanked Jackson’s mother for bringing such a wonderful daughter into the world.

Humbled by the experience and all of the attention she has received since January, Jackson said, “You should help who you can.”

“It was a natural instinct for me to help Miss Shirley … you need to help someone in need and not pass them by,” said Jackson. “As Soldiers, that’s what we do and that is why I joined the Army National Guard.”

by Patrick Buffett | Army.mil

Soldier Saves Three, Receives Highest Non-combat Award

FORT MONROE, Va. (Army News Service, July 26, 2010) — A Virginia Army National Guard Soldier serving an active-duty tour with the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command was awarded the Soldier’s Medal at Fort Monroe July 23 for his actions that resulted in saving the lives of three men following a boating accident in the Chesapeake Bay.

Lt. Gen. John E. Sterling, deputy chief of staff for U.S. Army TRADOC, presented Chief Warrant Officer Clifford Bauman the medal during a presentation ceremony attended by Bauman’s wife, father, and friends and coworkers at Morelli Auditorium on the Hampton base.

“This is a very auspicious occasion. This is my first-ever opportunity to participate in an award ceremony for the Soldier’s Medal,” Sterling said. “It’s a big event. It’s a very significant event, and we need to take notice of it.”

The Army has many awards and medals it bestows upon Soldiers for heroism during battle and many recognizing Soldiers for outstanding work performed in the field and in garrison, but the Soldier’s Medal is the highest award a Soldier can receive for heroism not directly related to combat.

“We have lots of awards for and recognitions that we do for valor in the face of the enemy, but from time-to-time there is an opportunity for a Soldier to use the skills that he has … in a life-saving event that doesn’t necessarily involve actions in front of the enemy,” Sterling said.

Bauman was heralded for his swift actions that saved three men Oct. 3, 2009. Although one man died at the scene, Bauman’s quick action and years of Army training gave him the tools he needed to save the other three men.

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