3-43 Soldiers hope to sweep boards for second year

Spc. Joshua Fender
3-43 Public Affairs

Sgt. Michael Ortega receives an ARCOM from Col. Randy Buhidar, 11th ADA Bde. commander, for winning the 32nd AAMDC NCO of the Year competition.

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Last year the Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery swept the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command Noncommis-sioned Officer and Soldier of the Year Boards and are on their way to doing so again this year.

Sgt. Michael Ortega of Headquar-ters, Headquarters Battery and Cpl. William Adamek of A Battery won the 32nd AAMDC Board, a two-day event consisting of six events evaluating physical fitness, military knowledge and proficiency of basic soldiering skills. The first day of the event comprised of a Physical Fitness test, weigh-in, Common Task Training and both day and night land navigation.

“After the first day, I wasn’t winning, but I was confident in my knowledge of board information that was coming up in day two,” said Adamek, who was competing for the Soldier of Year. He was right; the day-two evaluations began with a written test covering general military knowledge and situational questions pertaining to leadership scenarios. Next was the board with Command Sgt. Maj. Juan Torres as the president of the board. Ortega and Adamek, who had studied together for two weeks prior to the board, had a plan for their entrance.

“We both knocked for each other, so that when reporting our hands would keep in line. After knocking really hard on the door, your hand tends to shake a little due to the impact – so we took that out of the equation,” said Ortega.

With two weeks of preparation for the board, little time is given for family and friends; however, Ortega fit everything together by studying with his wife, Sunny Jo, who is prior service.

“That way I could spend time with my family and get my work done,” said Ortega. During duty hours, when both Soldiers were available, they studied together, giving each other tips and strategies.

“We studied one topic at a time, got it down and then went on to the next one. I liked to write the questions out, read them back, and then answer them so that I had visual, audio recognition. It helps me learn more, faster,” said Adamek.

When inside the board, the two Soldiers focused on maintaining their military bearing and professional candor.
“You have to address each board member, and stay with the one asking questions. There are no smiles in the boardroom, and sounding off is key. You have to mean the creeds when you say them, giving inflection in certain areas, and not just say them to get them over with, or sounding like a robot.”

This year, the 3rd Bn., 43rd ADA has already won the two 11th Brigade boards. In the first quarter, Sgt. Heather Mosolvoich, C Btry., won the NCO of the Quarter Board, and Spc. Ryan Pingon, HHB Btry., won the Soldier of the Quarter board.

“I went to the board to show my Soldiers that there’s nothing to it. I wanted to lead by example and show my Soldiers that if I had the time and ability, they do too,” said Mosolvoich, a recent selectee to the Warrant Officer Candidate School, where she wants to pursue acareer as a 140A.

The 11th Bde. NCO and Soldier boards for the second quarter were held last Wednesday. The winners of that board were Cpl. William Adamek, who also won the Soldier of the Year for Fort Bliss, for the NCO of the Quarter and Spc. Petagaye Brown of the 516th Maintenance Company winning the Soldier of the Quarter Board.

“My board philosophy is hardcore memorization of the facts, then sheer domination,” said Adamek.
The next quarter board will not be for a few months, but the way things look now, the “Unleash Hell” Battalion is already preparing.