An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Jan. 27, 2020

30th ABCT Soldiers attend Basic Leader Course in Middle East

By Lt. Col. Cindi King 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team

KUWAIT – The first line of the Army noncommissioned officer's creed states: "No one is more professional than I. I am a noncommissioned officer, a leader of Soldiers."

To attain the rank of a noncommissioned officer, Soldiers must attend the Basic Leader Course, where they learn the fundamentals of leadership, readiness and training.

U.S. Soldiers in the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team have been able to attend the Basic Leader Course while deployed in the Middle East thanks to U.S. Army Central, which hosts a class nearly every month.

"We want to ensure our Soldiers do not fall behind during deployment on their professional military education," said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Elmer Harmon, the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team's senior enlisted adviser. "There are approximately 200 seats, of which we can send about 20 Soldiers every month."

At a BLC ceremony Jan. 24, 26 Old Hickory Soldiers graduated, with seven Soldiers achieving the commandant's list, including the distinguished honor graduate and commandant's writing award winner.

"At BLC, they learn the skills to be a first-line supervisor and to train Soldiers," said Harmon. "It's the first step to becoming an NCO; to teach, coach and mentor."

U.S. Army Spc. Emilee Austin with the 1-150th Cavalry Regiment, West Virginia National Guard, 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, was the distinguished honor graduate and recipient of the commandant's writing award. She said one of the advantages of attending BLC while deployed is that Soldiers are already away from home and in the same environment.

"We were able to bond more as a class because we were all going through the same things," said Austin. "Having a support system is a big factor, which we had from our units and from one another."

The course also teaches Soldiers the fundamentals of training, including physical readiness.

"Have all of the exercises from start to finish memorized and make sure you are doing everything properly," said Austin. "It's all goes back to attention to detail."

Harmon said technology enables today's Soldiers to prepare for leadership courses, using cell phones to research and study on the internet.

The soon-to-be-NCOs also benefitted from outstanding leaders and instructors.

Austin said her classmates had great small group leaders who facilitated instruction and shared lessons from their experiences. Tt was also good, she said, to hear about the experiences of her peers.

"One of our instructors told us, 'Don't become what your unit is, become what your unit can be,'" said Austin. "'Take what you learn from BLC and apply it back at your unit and be ready to make change to be better.'"

Harmon said the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team Soldiers traditionally perform well at schools because as National Guard Soldiers, many have unique skills and roles as civilians.

"Our Soldiers have job experiences, and in some cases, years being supervisors, educators or employees that enhances their leadership and knowledge," said Harmon. "That's the benefit the National Guard brings to the services."

The 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team is comprised of National Guard Soldiers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia and Washington, deployed for Operation Spartan Shield.

 

 

Related Articles
Spc. Brianna Coombs, 237th Military Police Company, New Hampshire Army National Guard, stands in formation during a departure ceremony held Oct. 3, 2022, at the Edward Cross Training Complex in Pembroke, New Hampshire. About 170 Soldiers are mobilizing for a year to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist Customs and Border Protection in surveilling and detecting illegal immigrant crossings.
Army Updates Standards for Appearance, Grooming, Uniform Wear in New Directive
By U.S. Army Public Affairs | Sept. 15, 2025
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army announced an update to its appearance, grooming, and uniform wear standards policy in a new directive resulting from a force-wide review of military standards. The updated policy clarifies existing...

Kansas Army National Guard Soldiers conduct medical training with Soldiers from the Republic of Armenia during Exercise Eagle Partner 2025 in August. Eagle Partner 2025, which aims to enhance interoperability for international peacekeeping missions, exchange best practices in control and communication, and improve the readiness of the Armenian Armed Forces' peacekeeping unit, is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa training event involving Soldiers from USAREUR-AF, the Kansas National Guard, and the Ministry of Defense for the Republic of Armenia.
Kansas Guard Joins Armenian Partners for Eagle Partner 2025
By Lt. Col. Kevin Kennedy, | Sept. 15, 2025
YEREVAN, ARMENIA — Building on more than 20 years of cooperation through the Department of War National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, Soldiers and Airmen of the Kansas National Guard joined U.S. Army Europe and...

The Pennsylvania Army National Guard provides a unique training experience for more than 120 firefighters and rescue personnel from several fire companies in the communities surrounding Fort Indiantown Gap and its most common helicopter flight routes during a helicopter orientation training event for emergency responders conducted at the Army Aviation Support Facility No. 1 and Muir Army Heliport Sept. 11.
Pennsylvania Guard Hosts Helicopter Orientation for Emergency Responders
By Wayne Hall, | Sept. 15, 2025
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Army National Guard conducted a helicopter orientation training event for emergency responders Sept. 11 at the Army Aviation Support Facility No. 1 and Muir Army Heliport.More than...