Two Virgin Islands National Guardsmen, Master Sgt. Mizelle Calixte and Master Sgt. Louin Chung, graduated from the Sergeants Major Academy (SMA) in El Paso, Texas, on June 17.
The Army’s premiere enlisted military educational institute, the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Leadership Center of Excellence and Sergeants Major Academy, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. The SMA prepares master sergeants and sergeant majors to elevate from a tactical level of thinking to an operational and strategic perspective.
“I am extremely proud of both Master Sgts. Calixte and Chung,” said Maj. Gen. Kodjo Knox-Limbacker, the adjutant general. “They, along with their classmates from other military services and foreign countries, exceeded the standards over the past year by completing the ultimate Non-Commissioned Officer leadership education course. Their leadership will be leveraged to advise and shape strategic decisions that ensure our NCO Corps is ready to fight and win in a modern more complex battlespace foreseen in the future.”
Soldiers in SMA prepare for leadership positions in joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational organizations. This course combines tools to develop reasoning and meet the challenges of combat operations.
The SMA provides the Army with agile, adaptive senior enlisted leaders of character, competence and commitment to be influential leaders grounded in Army and Joint doctrine.
The Virgin Islands National Guard (VING) continues to be ready, relevant and responsive in its efforts to provide trained and professional troops to meet the demands of the U.S. Armed Forces.