http://sinepari.soc.mil/News/2008/June/SP-080618-02.html
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, June 18, 2008) – The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School named its Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year in a ceremony at Col. Aaron Bank Hall June 9.
Sgt. 1st Class Steven Kroll, an instructor with Company B, 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) was selected as the USAJFKSWCS 2008 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Pfc. Rajneel Singh, a human resources specialist in the Personnel Advisory Center, Support Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) was chosen as the 2008 USAJFKSWCS Soldier of the Year.
They were among 12 competitors fighting for the honor to represent the command at the upcoming U.S. Army Special Operation Command NCO and Soldier of the Year competition in July.
“The Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year competition is a demanding and multi-faceted challenge for those Soldiers that aspire to set themselves apart from their peers,” said Master Sgt. John Patterson, a small group leader in Company A, USAJFKSWCS Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
For four days the Soldiers compete in events designed to test their mental and physical abilities.
Soldiers were required to demonstrate a variety of military and leadership skills. The skills cover the core elements of Soldier training including a physical fitness test, live fire weapons qualification, land navigation, a comprehensive general-subjects exam, written essay and warrior-task testing, Patterson said.
The Soldiers also participated in one mystery event, which consisted of a two-mile run, push-ups and a five minute time-frame to assemble three types of weapons: an M-9 pistol, an M-4 carbine and an M-249 squad automatic weapon, said Patterson.
“It’s a great feeling of accomplishment and pride to be able to represent (Special Warfare Center and School) as the NCO of the Year,” Kroll said.
The feeling of accomplishment was not Kroll’s only reason for competing.
“It had been about eight years or so since I had competed in a competition like this, so it was more a matter of testing and challenging myself than just wanting to be named NCO of the Year,” Kroll said.
With this accomplishment came obstacles, but his family assisted him.
“My biggest obstacle was studying all the information,” Kroll said. “I had my son, Zachary, help me study for about a week before the board. He was a great help in all the preparation of the information.”
Singh’s sticky point in the competition for Soldier of the Year was not the information, but the mystery event. In particular putting together the M-249 was the most challenging, he said.
“I did what I could and I didn’t quit,” Singh said. “I just kept working at it until my time was up.”
Singh was determined to prove he was the best, but not for personal gratification. It was to show his first sergeant and senior NCOs that all the training invested in him was worthwhile.
Winning the competition was more than just bragging rights for Singh. It showed himself he can rise above any challenge.
“The importance of this competition to me was to prove to myself that I can go beyond my limits and overcome anything in my way and to earn respect, not just from my leaders and my unit, but this nation as well,” Singh said. “It was an honor to compete with some of the greatest Soldiers and NCOs.”
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, June 18, 2008) – The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School named its Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year in a ceremony at Col. Aaron Bank Hall June 9.
Sgt. 1st Class Steven Kroll, an instructor with Company B, 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) was selected as the USAJFKSWCS 2008 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Pfc. Rajneel Singh, a human resources specialist in the Personnel Advisory Center, Support Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) was chosen as the 2008 USAJFKSWCS Soldier of the Year.
They were among 12 competitors fighting for the honor to represent the command at the upcoming U.S. Army Special Operation Command NCO and Soldier of the Year competition in July.
“The Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year competition is a demanding and multi-faceted challenge for those Soldiers that aspire to set themselves apart from their peers,” said Master Sgt. John Patterson, a small group leader in Company A, USAJFKSWCS Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
For four days the Soldiers compete in events designed to test their mental and physical abilities.
Soldiers were required to demonstrate a variety of military and leadership skills. The skills cover the core elements of Soldier training including a physical fitness test, live fire weapons qualification, land navigation, a comprehensive general-subjects exam, written essay and warrior-task testing, Patterson said.
The Soldiers also participated in one mystery event, which consisted of a two-mile run, push-ups and a five minute time-frame to assemble three types of weapons: an M-9 pistol, an M-4 carbine and an M-249 squad automatic weapon, said Patterson.
“It’s a great feeling of accomplishment and pride to be able to represent (Special Warfare Center and School) as the NCO of the Year,” Kroll said.
The feeling of accomplishment was not Kroll’s only reason for competing.
“It had been about eight years or so since I had competed in a competition like this, so it was more a matter of testing and challenging myself than just wanting to be named NCO of the Year,” Kroll said.
With this accomplishment came obstacles, but his family assisted him.
“My biggest obstacle was studying all the information,” Kroll said. “I had my son, Zachary, help me study for about a week before the board. He was a great help in all the preparation of the information.”
Singh’s sticky point in the competition for Soldier of the Year was not the information, but the mystery event. In particular putting together the M-249 was the most challenging, he said.
“I did what I could and I didn’t quit,” Singh said. “I just kept working at it until my time was up.”
Singh was determined to prove he was the best, but not for personal gratification. It was to show his first sergeant and senior NCOs that all the training invested in him was worthwhile.
Winning the competition was more than just bragging rights for Singh. It showed himself he can rise above any challenge.
“The importance of this competition to me was to prove to myself that I can go beyond my limits and overcome anything in my way and to earn respect, not just from my leaders and my unit, but this nation as well,” Singh said. “It was an honor to compete with some of the greatest Soldiers and NCOs.”
