In the photo, Staff Sgt (then Sgt.) Tyler Myers warms up on his saxophone during a rehearsal. Myers was recently inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club at the 81st Regional Support Command dining out on November 5, 2011.

Read the rest of Staff Sgt. Tyler Myers’ story at “Wildcat sax player inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club.”

The NCOs from the ARCD exhibited leadership qualities learned through their counseling, mentorship and training. The nine chosen and will be first inducted into the first chapter of the Army Reserve Careers Division Chapter and into the newest chapter of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.

Command Sergeant Major Connie Commenia is the president of the ARCD first chapter. On numerous occasions, she has expressed her excitement with having the club as a part of the Army Reserve Careers Division.

Picture left are the ARCD Chapters first inductees from left to right, front center SFC Anna Ash, 4th Battalion, SFC Kelli Harr, 9th Battalion, and SFC Sabrina Derhammer, 8th Battalion. From L to R: (Back Row) SFC Shane Larson, 2nd Battalion, SFC Danielle Font, 7th Battalion, SFC Leslie Beltran, 2nd Battalion, SFC Keather Mitchell, ARCD Headquarters, SFC Donna Schwan, 11th Battalion, and SFC Francisco Bermudez, 5th Battalion.

Congratulations to the newest members of the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club members and the Army Reserve Careers Division. 

Be sure to leave your comments congratulating each of them.

THE MOTTO: “You lead from the front.” … Audie Murphy

Soldiers from the Army Reserve Careers Division on the land navigation portion of the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club competition.

Leadership is a journey of discovery. As a leader, your team will look to you for direction as you work to move them towards a common goal. NCOs show the way by example and enlist the aid and support of others. They strive to set the example in everything that they do. Junior enlisted soldiers see these leaders and mock their actions, which help to shape them into future leaders.

The motto of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club: “You lead from the front”, describes the mentality that its member take with them every day.

By ‘leading from the front’, NCOs develop the skills that will follow them and propel those to come after towards reaching professional success.

Sgt. Audie Murphy Club Crest

The Sgt. Audie Murphy Club crest was designed by one of the original organizers of the club, Mr. Don Moore, a professional illustrator from Killeen, Texas. The primary elements of the crest are…

• The letters S A M C: are an abbreviation for the “Sergeant Audie Murphy Club”.
• The three stars: separate the letters and represent the “Be”, “Know” and “Do” which is at the core of an Army NCO’s professional spirit.
• The laurel: represents the individual achievement of the NCO in the club.
• The lightning bolt: represents swift and decisive action taken by the NCO.
• The sword: is a historical reference and is the symbolic tool of the NCO to cut to the heart of the matter and to lead the charge.
• The U.S. Army staff sergeant stripes: represent the highest enlisted rank attained by Audie Murphy.
• The powder-blue streamers: the color of the infantry, indicate the words of the NCO philosophy: Loyalty, Caring, Discipline, and Professionalism.
• The majestic American Bald Eagle: the national bird and our country’s symbol for freedom. The eagle also represents the intent of the SAMC to be nationwide.

This information is from the S.A.M.C. Website

Sgt. Audie Murphy Club Crest

The Sgt. Audie Murphy Club was created to develop, inspire, and motivate the best leaders possible in the U.S. Army.

The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club is a private U.S. Army organization for enlisted non-commissioned officers (NCO) only. Those NCO’s whose leadership achievements and performance merit special recognition may possibly earn the reward of membership. Members must… “…exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development, and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers (FORSCOM Reg. 600-8, paragraph 1).”

An NCO meeting these pre-requisites may then be recommended by his non-commissioned officer chain-of-command to participate in the rigorous board examination process.

The club, originally started at Fort Hood, Texas in early1986. There were several key people at Fort Hood – officer, enlisted, civil service, and a Killeen civilian – who were instrumental in getting this club up and running.

Leading the effort was Lieutenant General Crosbie Saint, then the III Corps commander; his Command Sergeant Major George L. Horvath; III Corps Awards Clerk Jean Crisp, and Don Moore, a Killeen artist who assisted with designing the logo and club awards.

In 1991, then III Corps Commander Lieutenant General Pete Taylor and Command Sergeant Major Richard B. Cayton expanded the Fort Hood installation club to include all of III Corps. This included Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Fort Carson, Colorado.

In 1993, CSM Cayton was voted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club by the membership and then became the Forces Command Sergeant Major. Soon thereafter, the club became Forces-Command (FORSCOM) wide, including the Reserves and National Guard.

In 1994 at a Sergeant Major of the Army conference, the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club spread Army-wide, to all commands with installations retaining the selection process for their own NCOs. In 1998, it was estimated that the club membership was over 3000 soldiers and was steadilly increasing.

This information is from the S.A.M.C. Website

Sgt. Murphy became known as the most decorated U.S. combat soldier of World War II. Among his 33 awards and decorations were the Medal of Honor, the highest military award for bravery that can be given to any individual in the United States of America, for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

He also received every decoration for valor that his country had to offer, some of them more than once, including 5 decorations by France and Belgium. Credited with either killing over 240 of the enemy while wounding and capturing many others, he became a legend within the 3rd Infantry Division.

Beginning his service as an Army Private, Audie quickly rose to the enlisted rank of Staff Sergeant, was given a “battle field” commission as 2nd Lieutenant, was wounded three times, fought in 9 major campaigns across the European Theater, and survived the war.

For more information on Murphy life go to the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website.

Sgt. Audie Murphy Club Crest

These NCOs whose leadership achievements and performance merited special recognition may possibly earning membership into the Sgt. Audio Murphy Club. Members accepted into this club must exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development, and welfare of Soldiers and their Family.

After meeting these pre-requisites, Soldier then recommended to participate in the rigorous examination process by their non-commissioned officer chain-of- command.

Later today, nine of these Soldiers will be the first Soldiers of the Army Reserves Careers Division inducted into this Chapters Club.

So, take time to continue to read are updates as we tell you more about Sgt. Audie Murphy and the club name in his honor and later today announce the names of these nine Soldiers.

Commad Sgt.Maj. Commenia and Col. Gary Bullard Welcome Home Warriors of the Army Reserve Careers Division

I’m sure my experience was different than Soldiers who deploy while assigned to the Army Reserve. I have welcomed home Soldiers assigned to Army Reserve units that I support. I was there when my brother, a Soldier assigned to an Army Reserve unit, boarded the bus to leave for deployment. I was there when he returned to a demobilization site to welcome him home. It is different from my personal experience, because while some deploy as a unit, most of these Soldiers deploy as individuals and are later assigned to an unfamiliar unit. The welcome home is different, because these Soldiers do not return to an Active Duty Installation that they were assigned to and that they called home. Soldiers assigned to the Army Reserve are “Warrior Citizens” from all over and not always from a military community. Because of this, many of them may live in communities with little to no understanding of military life let alone the effects of deployment on Soldiers and the struggles they may experience upon returning home.

Today, was the first time I was a part of welcoming home Soldiers within my own command, Army Reserve Careers Division (ARCD). ARCD conducted its “Welcome Home Warrior Citizen” ceremony for the Soldiers who returned home from deployment within the last year. More than twenty five Soldiers and their families were honored in gratitude of the service and sacrifices that were made in support of the “Global War On Terror”. Every Soldier, every Leader knows that the family unit is vitally important to the success of the Army Reserve. Their sacrifices are just as great, equally important, and infinitely appreciated.

Share your experience.  Whether you are a family member or a Soldier, share your thoughts.  What did you appreciate most about your welcome home and what do you think could be improved upon?

Sgt. 1st Class Javier R. Camacho-Acevedo promotion ceremony

Assigned to the Army Reserve Careers Division (ARCD), Human Resource Division, Camacho wife Denice penned him while their two sons, family members and ARCD staffed watched.

It is at this level, Sgt. 1st Class or Platoon Sgt. in which the term Senior NCO properly applies, therefore, ARCD Senior Enlisted Advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Connie Commenia administered the NCO Charge to Sgt. 1st Class Camacho, which they both signed.

Generally, with 15 or more years of service, it is expected for the Sgt. 1st Class to embody all the traits of a leader and to bring their experience to bear in quick, accurate decisions that are in the best interest of the mission and the soldier.

With this in mind, Command Sgt. Maj. Commenia presented Camacho with a plaque of the NCO Creed and as she asked if he could quote the first line, which he did, every NCO in the room, along with prior NCOs who are now officer came to attention and in unison quoted the entire creed.

Am I not only smiling, but also feeling an awesome sense of pride for the Soldiers of the Army Reserve Careers Division and the United States Army!

Be sure to leave your comments congratulating Sgt. 1st Class Javier R. Camacho-Acevedo.

You can also send photo and story or caption of Soldiers from your Reserve unit for us to post by sending them to StayAR@StayArmyReserve.com.