BATTLE COMMAND TRAINING CENTER-LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - The newly-appointed 14th Sergeant Major of the Army, Raymond F. Chandler III, visited here Thursday to meet with Army National Guard Soldiers.
SMA Chandler, accompanied by his wife, Jeanne, spoke to the pre-command course at Ft. Leavenworth in the morning and then requested an opportunity to speak with Army National Guard Soldiers in the afternoon.
He addressed Guard Soldiers from BCTC-Lvn, the 35th Infantry Division, the Combined Arms Center, and those present for the 1st Army Joint Assessment.
The JA included Soldiers from 46 Army Guard units, such as the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Arkansas), 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (Georgia), a Stability Transition Team from New York, and Agricultural Development Teams from Indiana, Kentucky, and Nebraska.
These units met at BCTC-Lvn to review prepare for 2012 mobilizations. BCTC-Lvn routinely hosts exercises, training events, and pre-mobilization coordination conferences in support of overseas contingency operations.
After receiving a short command briefing on the mission and capabilities of BCTC-Lvn, the
SMA spoke on a few “big idea” topics, such as the impact of budget reductions, the need to perform cost-benefit analyses and upcoming end-strength reductions.
SMA Chandler spent his remaining time fielding questions from Soldiers, “what we need from you is feedback ... a voice as to what is successful and what is not.” He took questions on a variety of topics ranging from evolving doctrine, retirement benefits, the Non-Commissioned Officer Education System and desired uniform changes.
Prior to his departure, SMA Chandler presented his personal challenge coins to several outstanding Army Guard Soldiers.
First Sgt. Chris Rapich, senior enlisted advisor at BCTC-Lvn, remarked that SMA Chandler’s visit was “… a fantastic and unique opportunity to hear what ‘Big Army’ has planned and what our future looks like. It’s always better to hear this information from the source.”
This was SMA Chandler’s second visit to Ft. Leavenworth since his appointment in March and his first visit to the Soldiers of the BCTC-Lvn and the 35th ID.