FORT BLISS MONITOR • SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 • 15B14B • SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 • FORT BLISS MONITOR

FORT MONROE, Va. – StaffSgt. Luis Duran, representingE Company, 71st Transporta-

tion Battalion, 8th TransportationBrigade, Fort Eustis, Va., was named thefirst Advanced Individual TrainingPlatoon Sergeant of the Year during aceremony at the Casemate Museum hereSept. 3.

“I didn’t believe I won,” said Duran.“I thought every noncommissioned offi-cer did outstanding and successfully. Forme to be called, it was surreal.”

This Army first brought the top 13AIT platoon sergeants from around thecountry for a three-day competition test-ing them on warrior tasks and battledrills as well as their interaction withSoldiers in a training setting.

Tasks included teaching Soldiers howto perform physical training exercises,teaching combatives, completing writtentests and essays, assembling and disas-sembling arms, administering medicalcare, and helping Soldiers who facedarker times.

“Everything we did in this competi-tion mirrored what we do from day today,” said Duran. “We help Soldiers withpay problems, lead PT, counsel Soldiersdaily. The task of helping a suicidalSoldier is extremely important.[Unfortunately,] we do have to deal withthis, but I think we’re trained to deal withthe situation.”

Standard with all U.S. Army Trainingand Doctrine Command competitions,the schedule remained in close-hold andthe tasks were a surprise to the platoonsergeants.

“I’m sitting in front of a building notknowing what I’m going to do next,”said Staff Sgt. Bernie Mullen, represent-ing Fort Knox, Ky. “But once you get inthere, you see the task that you have infront of you and realize that it’s some-thing you do on a daily basis.”

The competition also provided pro-fessional development opportunitiesamong peers.

“I’m learning a lot about what otherplatoon sergeants are facing, and hearingstories from their side of the house isinteresting,” said Sgt. 1st Class NathanEarly from the Defense LanguageCenter at the Presidio of Monterey, Calif.

“We talk about the issues and seewhat we’re doing to help Soldiers on oursides,” said Sgt. 1st Class Lynn Gray.“It’s something new and a once-in-a-life-time opportunity.”

The heart of the competition lies inrecognizing platoon sergeants for theircontributions to an Army at war. Afterbasic combat training, new privatesattend AIT, which helps them becomeexperts in their specific military occupa-tional specialties.

Drill sergeants were present in AITuntil 2008, when they were replacedwith platoon sergeants who taught tech-nical skills while serving as mentors torecent BCT graduates. Once Soldierscomplete AIT, they are assigned to aunit.

Command Sgt. Maj. David Bruner,TRADOC enlisted adviser to the com-manding general, addresses the changefrom drill sergeants to platoon sergeantsas a way to further prepare students for

their first duty station. “[AIT platoon sergeants] are mentors

and subject-matter experts in their mili-tary occupational specialty, whereas drillsergeants are not,” he said. “Say I fix air-craft. Now I can go to the AIT platoonsergeant and ask questions about myMOS, not just what the instructors areteaching, but also what to expect when Ireport to my first duty station. I thinkthat’s huge. History is made again at FortMonroe.”

“AIT is where you learn your job,”said Sgt. 1st Class Herbert Thompson,2008 Drill Sergeant of the Year and com-petition organizer. “We all hear aboutdrill sergeants and how that’s a tough joband recruiters, that’s a tough job too.Hopefully [the competition] brings somerecognition to AIT platoon sergeants andpeople can appreciate what they bring tothe fight.”

Depending on the MOS, AIT can lastfrom as short as two weeks to as long asseveral months. There are more than 700Army platoon sergeants at 24 schoolsand training centers. AIT platoon ser-geants work with students after classesand on weekends to teach and reinforcetechnical lessons, warrior tasks and bat-tle drills, and other tactical skills.

“At nights and on the weekends, thestudents are with me,” said Mullen.“They’re going through urban orienteer-ing, convoy live-fire and ordnance histo-ry. They go to the zero range, U.S. Armyhistory, Army values training and stufflike that.”

Serving as the final buffer betweenSoldier-in-training to unit member, AIT

platoon sergeants find reward in theirjobs.

“We’re all doing our best to do thesame thing,” said Sgt. 1st Class FrankieCrawford, representing AberdeenProving Ground, Md. “We’re preparingSoldiers to go operational and into com-bat, so I like to think we’re the last linebefore they go there and hit it strong-on.”

“Me and a lot of other AIT platoonsergeants are giving pointers aboutdeployment and what to expect, but wealso let them know that every deploy-ment is different and every unit is differ-ent,” said Duran. “Procedures change allthe time and they have to be adaptable tochange and how the Army changes.”

Duran received a Meritorious ServiceMedal during the ceremony as well as aplaque. Bruner will present the AITPlatoon Sergeant of the Year trophy in aceremony at Fort Eustis for Duran’speers, family and friends. Duran willalso attend the fall 2009 Association ofthe United States Army conference inWashington, D.C., with TRADOC sen-ior leaders.

“It’s huge to be the first PlatoonSergeant of the Year. It’s up there withthe Drill Sergeants and the NCO of theYear. And it’s an honor to be the firstPSOY especially during the Year of theNCO,” said Duran.

“It was an honor and a privilege, andmy battle buddies are all winners,” hesaid. “I’m no different.”

Sgt. 1st Class Charles Nelsonfrom Fort Sill, Okla., teaches a pri-

vate how to improve on marks-manship skills during the 2009

AIT Platoon Sergeant of the YearCompetition at Fort Monroe, Va.

(Left) Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Earlyfrom the Defense Language

Institute, Presidio of Monterey,Calif., teaches privates how

to march in formations during the 2009 AIT Platoon Sergeant

of the Year Competition at Fort Monroe, Va.

Sgt. 1st Class MarquiseGoodwin from Fort Jackson,

S.C., leads a group of privatesthrough lunges during the AIT

Platoon Sergeant of the Year atFort Monroe, Va. Competitors

were graded on warrior tasks andbattle drills as well as their inter-

action with Soldiers.

Staff Sgt. Luis Duran, representingE Company, 71st Transportation

Battalion, 8th TransportationBrigade, Fort Eustis, Va., was

named the first AdvancedIndividual Training Platoon

Sergeant of the Year during a cer-emony at the Casemate Museum

here at Sept. 3.

Sgt. 1st Class Lynn Gray from FortLee, Va., inspects different uni-

forms to find imperfections duringthe 2009 AIT Platoon Sergeant of

the Year Competition at FortMonroe, Va.

Carroll Kim, TRADOC Public Affairs

Photo illustration by Katrina Chandler

CARROLL KIM / TRADOC Public Affairs

CARROLL KIM / TRADOC Public Affairs

PAT BUFFETT / TRADOC Public Affairs

PAT BUFFETT / TRADOC Public Affairs