Goodfellow Soldier wins Platoon Sergeant of Year

  • Published
  • By Carroll Kim
  • U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Public Affairs
FORT MONROE, Va. --  The top 11 of more than 700 advanced individual training platoon sergeants traveled to Virginia last week to compete in the 2010 AIT Platoon Sergeant of the Year Competition where Goodfellow's Army Staff Sgt. (P) Amanda Kokkonen, 344th Military Intelligence Battalion Alpha Company AIT platoon sergeant, was named the winner.

Staff Sgt. (P) Kokkonen's achievement is a proud moment for the 344th MI BN, said Lt. Col. John Bonin, 344th MI BN commander.

"We are fortunate to have leaders like her mentoring and training our students," he said. "Staff Sergeant Kokkonen is a model for others to emulate."

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Dan McCraw, 344th MI BN senior enlisted advisor, said Staff Sergeant Kokkonen personifies the professional Soldier.

"Professional Soldiers do professional things and Staff Sergeant Kokkonen's accomplishment is a perfect example of a dedicated Soldier epitomizing those very words," he said. "We are extremely proud of Staff Sergeant Kokkonen."

In the course of the three-day event, the competitors brought decades of Army experience and ideas as they were drilled on 12 warrior tasks, battle drills, surprise tasks, physical and mental activities, and their presentation at a board interview before a panel of senior noncommissioned officers.

"We all came in with a smile on our face and were happy to go through the competition together," Staff Sgt. (P) Kokkonen said. "Unlike other competitions, there was a lot of camaraderie (through) the end."

She said the competition also offered a lot of variety, but thankfully everything they did was something they've done or seen before.

Scenarios ranged from technical skills like combat lifesaving and performing a functions check on an M-16, to leadership skills, which included counseling a suicidal Soldier and how to work with a Soldier who refuses to train.

"It grabs certain areas of what an AIT platoon sergeant does on a daily basis," said Staff Sgt. Vernon Maybin with U Company, Quartermaster Brigade at Fort Lee, Va.

Sergeant 1st Class Alexia Moore, an AIT platoon sergeant at Fort Bragg, N.C., agreed.

"You definitely have to be on your toes and quick and adaptable," he said. "A Soldier will come up to you with an issue, but at least on the job, you have a second to compose your response or (confer with) your battle buddy."

Back at their training bases, the competitors said their preparation was nothing different from what they do every day and they even picked up lessons from their own trainees.

"I've just been doing my job and trying to be the best at it because it's what the competition is all about," said Sgt. 1st Class Charles Nelson, Charlie Battery, 3-6 Air Defense Artillery, Fort Sill, Okla. "My preparation has been working everyday and doing the best I can."

The competition also allowed the candidates to share ideas and training best practices not only among each other, but also with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command leadership.

"Everybody brings something to the table; different thoughts, different management, different ways they conduct themselves with their Soldiers," said Sgt. 1st Class Jose Garcia, Charlie Company, 369th Adjutant Generals Battalion in Fort Jackson, S.C.

In an event-packed three days, leaders and competitors alike remained aware of the gravity and even the difficulties that AIT platoon sergeants face in training and developing new Soldiers. AIT platoon sergeants provide counseling, maintain Army standards, serve as career subject matter experts and teach Soldiers how they will contribute to their first unit.

"We have a big role when it comes to Soldier transition formation," said Staff Sergeant Kokkonen. "Before they reach permanent party, they're all great leaders and it's something you're born and bred to do."

"We're definitely a key contributor because the quality of the (noncommissioned officer) or the AIT platoon sergeant is going to directly affect the quality of the Soldier we send down to the unit," said Sergeant 1st Class Moore. "We need dedicated, professional NCOs performing those duties to ensure that your end product is successful."

For a nation at war, professionalism and character imparted from the AIT platoon sergeants means setting the stage for trainees to follow suit.

"For the most part, we were at war when they joined the Army and they remained on the team, and that shows a lot about character and values," said Command Sgt. Maj. David M. Bruner, TRADOC senior enlisted adviser and board interview member. "They put their thumbprint on every one of those Soldiers who will go through AIT and join the ranks in that formation."

(Connie Hempel, 17th Training Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)