Sgt. 1st Class JennyAnne Bright, shower laundry and clothing repair non-commissioned officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade

Sgt. 1st Class JennyAnne Bright believes non-commissioned officers have to practice what they preach.

“Soldiers look up to NCOs because NCOs hold themselves and their Soldiers to the highest standards,” said Bright, shower laundry and clothing repair non-commissioned officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade. “NCOs lead by example, take pride in the Corps and are proud to be the backbone of the Army.”

Bright practices what she preaches. The former drill sergeant and current Sergeant Audie Murphy Club member holds herself and those around her to high standards.

“An NCO is a trainer, mentor and a coach,” said Bright. “They take care of Soldiers, not by giving days off, but by teaching their Soldiers everything they need to accomplish their mission, to survive in combat, and help them become successful in the Army.”

Bright, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., even takes her stripes home with her. She encouraged her husband, Sgt. 1st Class Terence Bright, responsible officer at the Q-West bulk fuel farm, 574th Quartermaster Co., 30th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sust. Bde., to attend the SAMC board, and studied with him over the phone and internet. He became a SAMC member at the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command’s SAMC board, May 21.

“JennyAnne is an outstanding NCO who always strives to improve daily as a leader,” Terence said. “She continues to encourage me to become a better NCO and leader; constantly learning and always teaching, mentoring, and training Soldiers to strive for excellence.”

Bright, at the time Canlas, met Terence while they were both drill sergeants at Ft. Lee, Va., in 2005. They married during their rest and recuperation leave during their current deployment, in Virginia Beach, Va., June 6.

“We were both assigned to the 262nd Quartermaster Battalion,” Bright said. “Afterwards, we both received orders to Germany. It just happened to be Grafenwoehr.”

Being a drill sergeant shaped her career, Bright said.

“Being a drill sergeant was the best job I have held so far in the Army,” Bright said. “It was very challenging, but in the end it was a rewarding experience. It was a greatest job because I was able to train so many Soldiers with different MOS to prepare them for the operational Army. This job enhanced my abilities to lead. It sharpened my skills as an NCO.”

Sgt. 1st Class JennyAnne Bright re-enlists at Contingency Operating Site Marez-East, Iraq. The former drill sergeant and current Sergeant Audie Murphy Club member holds herself and those around her to high standards.

The versatile NCO has many additional duties in Iraq.

She writes stories and takes pictures that are used in military and civilian publications, she has also served as the company equal opportunity leader, and she serves as one of three small arms marksmanship masters for the company.

Bright, who entered the military in 1997, and is on her second deployment, said the thing she will remember most about service in the Army is the opportunity she’s had to touch lives.

“When I look back at my career, what I will remember most about being an NCO is that it is great to be an NCO,” said Bright. “Throughout the years you look back and think of all the Soldiers you have trained and made an impact on. Training Soldiers is the best job to have. Being an NCO enabled me to teach a Soldier everything from marching, conducting personal hygiene, digging a fox hole and disassembling weapons to leading other Soldiers.”

The avid runner hopes to someday attain the rank of sergeant major in the Quartermaster Corps, and become an elementary teacher after retirement.

Bright had some tips for new NCOs.

“My advice to a new NCO is to take charge and fulfill the responsibilities that come with the rank,” said Bright. “Soldiers look up to you for direction, purpose and motivation. Soldiers are always looking at you even though when you think they are not looking.”

She said doing the right thing is its own reward.

“Always train to standard to prepare them for combat,” Bright said. “The NCO rank is a powerful rank, use it to teach, coach and mentor Soldiers. Take care of Soldiers to the best of your abilities and they will take care of you in return without question.”

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Story by Sgt. Keith Anderson

Staff Sgt. Selina Joy Wadsworth, squad leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 81st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, poses in front on a Humvee at Contingency Operating Base Q-West, June 25. Photo by Sgt. Keith Anderson

“Take a deep breath and drive through it.”

That’s the advice from Staff Sgt. Selina Joy Wadsworth, squad leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 81st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade.

The force protection non-commissioned officer from Bellingham, Wash., doesn’t literally “drive through it” in a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle, though. But she never gives up.

“Take the good with the bad, as anyone would with any type of job,” said Wadsworth. “Each person is going to come to a moment in their Army career where they will want to get out and quit, but do not base it on one single moment, or one single assignment. Don’t be too quick to give up on what you have worked for.”

Wadsworth, who is on her second deployment, said all-in-all, her 14-year career has been positive.

“There have been a number of bad or frustrating moments in my career; however, there have been far many more magnificent challenges and opportunities that outweigh any of the negative ones,” Wadsworth said.

Wadsworth said she was grateful for all the mentorship and guidance she’s gotten in her Army career.

“I would have to say that nearly every NCO that I have worked for has made an impact on my career, whether positive or negative,” Wadsworth said. “I’d say that the greatest leader that I had was back in my active duty unit. He showed me what it meant to be a leader and told me that to be the greatest type of leader is to be the one that you would want to lead you. I have held strong to that idea and always been a leader to my Soldiers that I would want leading me.”

She said you can’t always tell if you’ve made an impact on a Soldier, but there have been a few times where she got some positive feedback.

“I only know of a few times where a Soldier has written me a card and let me know how my service has impacted their service, and each time it has impacted my own career in such a great way,” Wadsworth said. “I was told that through my leadership and work ethic, it had renewed a Soldier’s sense of pride in serving and that I was the main reason that the Soldier reenlisted and continued to stay in the Army.”

Being a good NCO requires a little study time, Wadsworth said.

“I would advise a new NCO to attend Warrior Leader Course as soon as possible, which just touches the surface of all the information that a new sergeant needs to know,” Wadsworth said. “Find a leadership manual, I have a few different ones, and continually read about what it means to be a leader, what different type of leadership styles there are and what a leader needs to know and do. Lastly and most importantly, find a senior NCO to talk with and be your mentor.”

Throughout her career, the camaraderie has been important to her, Wadsworth said.

“It seems like only yesterday I was pinned my sergeant stripes, and now I have my staff segeant, but to look over the short time that I have already been an NCO, I’d have to say that I will always remember how hard I worked for my soldiers and how amazing my squad has worked even harder for each other,” said Wadsworth. “I clearly remember one moment out on patrol where I wrote and gave the mission’s operational order and saw each person doing the work that needed to get done. It was amazing to know that I had that type of influence to be able to set soldiers out to accomplish a mission.”

She has noticed some changes in Iraq this tour, from the last time during 2004 to 2005 when she was at what is now Joint Base Balad, Wadsworth said.

“While for the most part the country is basically still the same, the Iraqi military has greatly improved,” Wadsworth said. “The Iraqi soldiers were simple farmers, working a few days out of the week as a soldier in barely much of a uniform, with hardly any equipment. Today, looking at the Iraqi army while we are out on missions, they have come leaps and bounds with uniforms, equipment and training.”

This deployment has gone by much more quickly than the previous deployment, Wadsworth said.

“This deployment has been fast, much quicker then I even thought it would end up being,” said Wadsworth. “I have been challenged and been given an incredible opportunity to be responsible for a squad of 16 Soldiers. Being a medic on my last deployment, I was responsible for their medical needs, and in this deployment I was responsible for every aspect of their mission readiness, day-to-day needs and overall success as a squad and platoon.”

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Story by Sgt. Keith Anderson

Staff Sgt. Ronald White, squad leader, 51st Transportation Company, 30th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, poses with two Kurdish soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Q-West. \

“I want to be a part of history,” said Staff Sergeant Ronald White, squad leader, 51st Transportation Company, 30th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade.

“I want to look back one day and have stories to tell my children and grandchildren that will last for generations,” White said. “I want them to be proud to say, ‘that is the stuff I am made of: I am my father’s child.’ When history is written and all is said and done, I want to be remembered.”

When the 29-year-old, father of four daughters was inducted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club during this deployment, it was an opportunity for him to inspire his Soldiers.

“My Soldier, Spc. Walton, said to me ‘Sgt. White, if you can make Audie Murphy after trying so hard, I can be a sergeant before I leave, or at least promotable,’” said White. “It is moments like this that let me know that Soldiers are watching. Soldiers do listen, as long as you are doing, or have done, what you are telling them to do or be.”

White knows that Soldiers are willing to follow excellent leaders, not only from his Soldiers, but from his own experiences as a Soldier. White said that when he transitioned from the Marines to the Army in 2003, his first sergeant, who used discipline and an infantry mindset, taught him that genuine care for the Soldiers was the right leadership and mentoring he needed to focus on.

“First Sergeant Judd showed me how to balance the hard line of discipline with compassion,” White said. “He taught me how to display a stern, unwavering demeanor, yet speak to and treat Soldiers with dignity and sincerity. He was a senior non-commissioned officer who gave, and sacrificed, more than me daily, without regards to his personal comforts. He put his Soldiers’ needs first. He was a leader who held us to the standards, but never stood above us. He set the bar for me and gave me the tools to reach the top.”

To White, the first sergeant possessed the qualities a leader must have, and he applied them to his own style of leadership, something that has helped the Chicago, Ill., native, shape his Soldiers’ careers.

“A Soldier of mine in a previous unit, Spc. Nava, had an outlook on the military that was negative,” White said. “He looked forward to getting out, but he was deployed with me and later assigned to my squad. As I spent more time with him I realized it was not him, but the influences of his negative peers that had him ready to get out.”

White said he took the Soldier under his wing.

“I began to continuously mentor him and show him how he could use his Army career to achieve his future goals,” said White. “Later, after I left the unit, I got an e-mail from Sgt. Nava thanking me for taking the time to get to know him and show him a different way of thinking. He is just another reason why I continue to serve.”

His concern for Soldiers and their well being can be seen in his leadership philosophy.

“As non-commissioned officers, we have the opportunity to assist in molding well-rounded Soldiers for the future of our Army and Corps, and we have the opportunity to transform these young, motivated minds into productive members of society, the leaders of tomorrow,” said White.

White eloquently expressed the function of the NCO.

“It is the job of the NCO to take the mission and Soldiers given to them and teach, educate, advise and mentor each young mind through in-depth leadership engagement,” White said. “This will fortify the legacy and bond between Soldiers and NCOs, like so many non-commissioned officers that have come before us have done, carrying on the traditions of camaraderie and esprit de corps our honored profession of arms was built upon.”

When he’s not wearing his uniform, his greatest joy comes from playing with his four daughters, Tiara 13, Zaria 10, Christian 8, Amari 7.

“My favorite hobby is to play with my daughters and let them run me ragged each day when I am with them,” said White.

White’s other hobbies include going outdoors and enjoying the sights and sounds of mother nature, as well as bowling, skating and reading Log Home Living magazine.

“I want to build my own log home one day,” said White.

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Story by Sgt. 1st Class Adam Shaw