Fort Bliss Monitor

SMC Class 54 graduation
More than 700 complete ‘premier’ NCO course

SGT. JIMMY NORRIS
USASMA Public Affairs

An audience of more than 1,000 family members, instructors and Army leaders assigned worldwide saluted 628 graduates of the latest Sergeants Major Course during their commencement ceremony at the Abraham Chavez Theater Wednes-day. Eighty students received their diplomas during an Early Departure Graduation Ceremony June 18.

This class, Class 54, is the largest class to graduate in the history of Fort Bliss’ U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.

Students attend the course as a permanent change of station. They have the option of moving their families to El Paso while they attend the course. Most have already left the academy to assume senior enlisted advisor positions in military commands worldwide. Others will remain at the academy until assignments open for them.
“Graduating is a big accomplishment for me,” said Sgt. Maj. Fidel Gomez, one of the graduates. “Six months couldn’t go by any faster. It was a good time for us to learn from each other.” Gomez said he is looking forward to joining his next unit, the 1st Cavalry Division currently deployed in Iraq.

“My unit is there already,” he said. “I’m eager to see my Soldiers in action in Baghdad.”

The graduating class included two Air Force senior NCOs and one Coast Guard senior NCO as well as 42 international students from 29 countries. Their countries include former Warsaw Pact members, such as Poland and Romania. The international students attended the same six-month course, but started a month early to acclimate themselves with American culture.

Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Peter Schoomaker, was the guest speaker. He asked the graduates of the Army’s “premier NCO course” to rededicate themselves to their fundamental role: taking care of Soldiers and their families.

During his address to the graduates, Schoomaker stressed the importance of the Noncommis-sioned Officer Education System in today’s Army.

“I know all of you would rather be out there with your Soldiers ... but this education business is critically important. And it is because of this education system in a large part that we are recognized as being the finest Army in the world,” he said. “[Education] has an awful lot to do with the tremendous noncommissioned officer corps that we have. It truly is part of the reason why we are envied not only in military communities but in the civilian communities. We take time out not only to train but to educate. We’re not going to be able to predict any longer where it is we’re going to go, how we’re going to fight, who we’re going to fight and the rest of it. This is becoming much more of a thinking Soldier’s game.”

The general also spoke about the history of terrorism in the United States, citing incidents such as hostage crises and airplane hijackings as far back as the 1970s.

“The point is our enemies had declared war on us a long time ago. What I’m talking about is 30 years ago,” he said. “It wasn’t until 9-11 that the nation as a whole grasped the notion that this is a very serious direction in which we are going and recognized the great potential that our foes can achieve and the momentum that has started. Let there be no doubt, we are at war. Whether or not we want to recognize this doesn’t make any difference to our foes. We have got to deal with it. A relatively very few people can do great harm to our way of life. It is important for us, all of us, that we do our duty and stand between harm’s way and our homeland.”

Schoomaker finished his speech by informing the graduates of their responsibilities in leading Soldiers through the Army Transformation, while reminding them of the legacy they’re expected to live up to.

“We are standing on the shoulders of the greatest generation,” he said. “This is the newest greatest generation and we will do our nation proud just like they did. You will lead our Soldiers through this transformation to a joint-capable force and one that can operate with our coalition friends. I know our Army right now is out there waiting for your arrival and I’m going to wrap up so you can get there.”

Following the three-hour ceremony, amid a crowd of photographers and well wishers, the students said goodbye to their peers with hugs, handshakes and an occasional memento before departing for their new duty stations.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	July 1, 2004

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	SMC Class 54 graduation More than 700 complete ‘premier’ NCO course SGT. JIMMY NORRIS USASMA Public Affairs An audience of more than 1,000 family members, instructors and Army leaders assigned worldwide saluted 628 graduates of the latest Sergeants Major Course during their commencement ceremony at the Abraham Chavez Theater Wednes-day. Eighty students received their diplomas during an Early Departure Graduation Ceremony June 18. This class, Class 54, is the largest class to graduate in the history of Fort Bliss’ U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. Students attend the course as a permanent change of station. They have the option of moving their families to El Paso while they attend the course. Most have already left the academy to assume senior enlisted advisor positions in military commands worldwide. Others will remain at the academy until assignments open for them. “Graduating is a big accomplishment for me,” said Sgt. Maj. Fidel Gomez, one of the graduates. “Six months couldn’t go by any faster. It was a good time for us to learn from each other.” Gomez said he is looking forward to joining his next unit, the 1st Cavalry Division currently deployed in Iraq. “My unit is there already,” he said. “I’m eager to see my Soldiers in action in Baghdad.” The graduating class included two Air Force senior NCOs and one Coast Guard senior NCO as well as 42 international students from 29 countries. Their countries include former Warsaw Pact members, such as Poland and Romania. The international students attended the same six-month course, but started a month early to acclimate themselves with American culture. Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Peter Schoomaker, was the guest speaker. He asked the graduates of the Army’s “premier NCO course” to rededicate themselves to their fundamental role: taking care of Soldiers and their families. During his address to the graduates, Schoomaker stressed the importance of the Noncommis-sioned Officer Education System in today’s Army. “I know all of you would rather be out there with your Soldiers ... but this education business is critically important. And it is because of this education system in a large part that we are recognized as being the finest Army in the world,” he said. “[Education] has an awful lot to do with the tremendous noncommissioned officer corps that we have. It truly is part of the reason why we are envied not only in military communities but in the civilian communities. We take time out not only to train but to educate. We’re not going to be able to predict any longer where it is we’re going to go, how we’re going to fight, who we’re going to fight and the rest of it. This is becoming much more of a thinking Soldier’s game.” The general also spoke about the history of terrorism in the United States, citing incidents such as hostage crises and airplane hijackings as far back as the 1970s. “The point is our enemies had declared war on us a long time ago. What I’m talking about is 30 years ago,” he said. “It wasn’t until 9-11 that the nation as a whole grasped the notion that this is a very serious direction in which we are going and recognized the great potential that our foes can achieve and the momentum that has started. Let there be no doubt, we are at war. Whether or not we want to recognize this doesn’t make any difference to our foes. We have got to deal with it. A relatively very few people can do great harm to our way of life. It is important for us, all of us, that we do our duty and stand between harm’s way and our homeland.” Schoomaker finished his speech by informing the graduates of their responsibilities in leading Soldiers through the Army Transformation, while reminding them of the legacy they’re expected to live up to. “We are standing on the shoulders of the greatest generation,” he said. “This is the newest greatest generation and we will do our nation proud just like they did. You will lead our Soldiers through this transformation to a joint-capable force and one that can operate with our coalition friends. I know our Army right now is out there waiting for your arrival and I’m going to wrap up so you can get there.” Following the three-hour ceremony, amid a crowd of photographers and well wishers, the students said goodbye to their peers with hugs, handshakes and an occasional memento before departing for their new duty stations.