Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston –
Four Soldiers from the U.S. Army Medical Command were
inducted into the Sgt. Maj. of the Army Leon L. Autreve Chapter of the Sergeant
Audie Murphy Club May 12 at Fort Sam Houston. Sgt. 1st Class Krenda D.
Harralson, Company C, 187th Medical Battalion; Staff Sgt. Stephen Raya, Company
C, 264th Medical
Battalion; Staff Sgt. Pablo Sierra III, U.S. Army Institute
of Surgical Research; and Staff Sgt. Maggie Wilson, Company B, 264th Medical
Battalion, were the inductees.
Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew J. Rhoades, U.S. Army Medical
Department Center and School Command sergeant major, presided over the event.
The guest speaker was 1st Sgt. Natasha M. Tsantles from the USAISR.
Induction into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club is an arduous
process, consisting of a recommendation by the Soldier’s non-commissioned
officer chain of command to participate in the rigorous board examination
process.
The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club is a private U.S. Army
organization for enlisted non-commissioned officers only. Those NCOs 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, according to U.S. Forces Command Regulation
600-8, paragraph 1.
If an NCO meets these pre-requisites, the Soldier may then
be recommended by his non-commissioned officer chain-of-command to participate
in the rigorous board examination process.
Audie L. Murphy was America’s most decorated combat Soldier
of World War II and a movie star. Murphy earned and received every decoration
for valor this country had to offer plus five decorations presented to him by
France and Belgium. He appeared or starred in 44 films and died in an airplane
accident in 1971.