2002 Soldier & Non-Commissioned Of The Year
Story & Photos by SGT Charles Ames - Posted Mar, 2003
Each year in the Guard, a process begins. Leaders at all levels select troops deserving of special recognition and submit their names for review. Competitions are held at company level, then battalion, brigade, and finally a state-level board determines the winner of Soldier and Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.
State Command Sergeant Major Mike Reynolds maintains that, while becoming Soldier of the Year for a company is considered a lofty achievement, to become brigade Soldier of the Year is a hell of an accomplishment itself.
Sergeant Justin Shipman had the rank of Specialist (SPC) only a few months ago, during the competition process. Now a Sergeant, he is the Administrative NCO for Troop E, 303rd Cavalry in Puyallup.
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Being Soldier of the Year is a great honor", says SGT Shipman. "I can't take complete credit; there were a lot of people that have guided and taught me many things that have made me the soldier and person that I am today. I learned a lot from my supervisors... up at Brigade.
SGT Shipman credits his First Sergeant, 1SG Charles Lia, as one of his mentors and influences. 1SG Lia reciprocates the admiration. SGT Shipman has been extremely valuable to the unit. We are all very proud of him and what he has been able to accomplish, both as the unit administrator and in the boards.
SGT Shipman reflects the community sentiment commonly found among the Guard. Having deployed to support security forces at Operation Olympic Guard, the 2002 Winter Olympics, he also enjoys coaching a youth basketball program and often chaperones his younger sisters school field trips.
Though he is looking into eArmyU (the Armys online college program) and is considering taking business advancement classes online, he is more concerned about the soldiers he serves than his own future. Soldiers always come first. You cant really do anything without soldiers, says SGT Shipman.
The 2002 NCO of the Year accolade goes to SGT David Snyder of the 341st Military Intelligence Battalion. SGT Snyders military career includes 5 years as an active duty Special Forces soldier, where he had also had earned the coveted NCO of the Year unit award!
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Now a substitute teacher in Pierce County, he hopes to coach swimming and marksmanship. I miss firing a weapon as often as we used to do, says SGT Snyder about why he joined the Guard. I've acquired valuable that I didn't want to see going to waste.
SGT Snyder may be interested to learn that some serious changes are being considered for this year's competition. Candidates in 2003 may face a weapons qualification, a Physical Fitness Test, Common Task Training tests, and then the review boards. Subsequent awardees will go on to regional competitions, such as 5th Army, Northwest, Army, and so on.
I think that you have to enjoy the adventure," says SGT Snyder of his career, and offers this advice: "I would hope that people would go in search of whatever their goal is, and try to make out of it whatever they may. Its important to have fun with what youre doing.
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