CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar –
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar- “This ceremony instills the vital importance of the tasks these (noncommissioned offers) will be given as they lead Soldiers,” said the noncommissioned officer induction ceremony’s keynote speaker. “It is a rite of passage for Soldiers who become NCOs and leaders.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Larry D. Godsey, 1st Battalion, 138th Infantry Regiment, Missouri Army National Guard, spoke those words as he welcomed 38 new NCOs during an induction ceremony at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, July 1.
The ceremony commemorates the rite of passage for a Soldier into a leadership position as a noncommissioned officer. The significant milestone is symbolized by recently promoted Soldiers crossing the “Time-Honored Line” arch replete with crossed sabers to join the professional ranks of the NCO Corps for the first time.
U.S. Army Central Soldiers assigned to three major subordinate commands from the 3rd Medical Command -- Deployment Support, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, and the Missouri Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 138th Infantry Regiment, participated in the ceremony.
“NCOs are the backbone of the Army,” said Staff Sgt. Donovan Hatfield, a member of the 4th Detachment, 368 Financial Management Support. “We have Soldiers under our command that look to us for guidance, and it is our responsibility to give them guidance.”
All inductees were not only given guidance during the ceremony, but also were assigned mentors or sponsors, who imparted their wisdom upon the next generation of Army leaders minted at the ceremony.
After the ceremony, the new inductees were honored with a ceremonial cake-cutting, held at Camp As Sayliyah’s dining facility, in recognition of their achievements.
The ceremony emphasized and was founded upon the pride that Soldiers have as being members of the elite NCO corps, which traces its history back to 1778.
When a Soldier is inducted into the NCO Corps they acquire a creed. A creed that establishes their standards and rite of passage, the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer.
The newly inducted NCOs must adopt a professional demeanor at all times, remain competent and always place the mission and the welfare of their Soldiers first. They must also give officers of their unit maximum time to accomplish their duties, while also earning their respect and loyalty.
These Soldiers have earned their way into not only leadership but a way of life.