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                         February 8, 2002

Black women reaching top enlisted ranks 

By Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Army demographics reveal that black females are shattering glass ceilings and obtaining positions that were once only held by men.

More than 50 percent of female sergeants major are black even though blacks make up 46 percent of the female enlisted population. Out of 14 female sergeants major in the Military District of Washington area, 11 are black.

Enlisted soldiers who attain the distinction of serving as sergeants major are the epitome of success in their chosen field, according to Army personnel officials. There is no higher grade of rank, except sergeant major of the Army.

Sergeants major carry out policies and standards of performance, training, appearance and conduct of enlisted personnel. They advise and initiate recommendations to their respective commander and staff in matters pertaining to the local noncommissioned officer support channels.

Interviews with five of MDWs 11 black female sergeants major indicated that they were not selected as senior leaders to meet any Army quotas. They were promoted because they put soldiers first, did the "hard
jobs" and took advantage of higher education.

"It’s sad, but after I made master sergeant I heard that I helped the Army make two quotas because I’m black and female," said Command Sgt. Maj. Barbara Smith, Fort Meade’s Headquarters Command Battalion sergeant major.

Smith has been in the Army for 24 years and has served two tours as a first sergeant, one as a drill sergeant and another as the senior enlisted advisor to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Command.

During the joint assignment at Pacific Command, Smith was the only female among her peers, and she said in that role she met periodically with the sergeant major of the Army, and his equivalents in the other four military branches.

Smith said she addresses comments that question her position by saying that she worked hard for all of her promotions.

Anyone who thinks the Army promotes based on quotas is incorrect and needs to learn how the centralized promotion system works, said Sgt. Maj. Brenda McCall, the operations sergeant major for Military District of Washington Ceremonies and Special Events.

"If you look at the records of those who have made it to the top versus those who haven’t, you’ll see that the people who hold senior positions have done more than those who are not getting promoted," McCall said.

When it comes to promotion, the Army is as fair as fair can be, said McCall, who has served in the Army for 26 years.

Promotions are based on performance, and it’s hard to get around that, she added.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s definition of a glass ceiling is artificial barriers, based on attitudinal or organizational bias, that prevent women and minorities from advancing within their organization and reaching their full potential.

The barrier that exists for so many in the civilian sector doesn’t exist in the Army if soldiers decide not to sit on their laurels, said Sgt. Maj. Rosemary Waters-Lindo, senior Equal Opportunity adviser for MDW.

Waters-Lindo, who has a master’s degree in counseling and who is a 25-year Army soldier, said she was able to overcome her biggest challenge in the Army as a sergeant first class stationed in the MDW area by always being one step ahead of her peers.

"During Desert Shield/Desert Storm, I was in charge of 150 Intelligence Reserve officers," Waters-Lindo said. "My boss thought that I didn’t have the capacity to know what was going on because I didn’t have an intelligence background, but I would come to work hours before everybody else to read and prepare myself for the mission."

For anyone who wants to be a good leader, regardless of gender or ethnicity, Waters-Lindo said, the old Army logo still reigns true. "To gain success, I hate to use the old motto, ‘Be All That You Can Be.’ However, I’ll say you have to go beyond what the Army is asking you to do."

Take one step at a time to reach the top, Waters-Lindo said, by setting goals. She said that she started writing down her goals as a private first class.

The Army is full of soldiers who are content with serving their country, following orders and riding the wave of normalcy. Then there are soldiers like Sgt. Maj. Andrea Marks, who served as a drill sergeant, went to Master Fitness and Airborne schools, served as a first sergeant and is one course from completing her master’s degree. She was selected as first sergeant after 17 years in the Army.

Marks, 38, the senior enlisted adviser in the Defense Threat Readiness Agency, said she started looking at how she could get ahead of the ballgame from day one.

"Coming from London, England, I knew very little about the military when I enlisted," Marks said. "I didn’t know what a semester hour was, but while on active duty I’ve earned my associate’s, bachelor’s and now I’m working on my master’s."

All five of the sergeants majors interviewed have their bachelor’s degree, three have their master’s and one has a doctorate. However, they all said that it takes more than professional development to rise to the senior ranks. Their jobs are centered on soldiers, the sergeants major said.

"To be a good leader, you have to care about the soldier and the soldier’s family," Marks said. "You have to listen to what the soldier is saying... ."