Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"May 24, 2002
Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"
May
24, 2002
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| Sgt. First Class James Earl Orem (right), a TAC NCO for the U.S. Military Academy, talks things over with some of the cadets under his charge. Due to construction at cadet barracks, Orem has mentored the same cadets all four years. |
The Army describes NCOs as leaders of soldiers, the backbone of the Army and dedicated to accomplishment of mission and the welfare of their soldiers.
Sgt. First Class James Earl Orem, a TAC NCO here for Company F1 may have more of a feeling for this than most in his position. It is unusual that a TAC NCO remain with the same cadets for four years, but Orem has been with his since their plebe years in 1999.
Orem gained his experience with young soldiers as a senior drill instructor at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. There he taught basic trainees about the seven Army values.
When he got to West Point, Orem was offered a position as Tactical NCO.
"I had accomplished transforming civilian men and women into soldiers in the enlisted force, and now I was charged with the task of transforming young civilian men and women into officers," Orem said.
He explained that the only difference between his drill instructor and TAC duties was the outcome.
"It was a huge task to adjust fires and now venture down a path to basically perform in the same aspects of soldiering, but now to the future leaders of those soldiers I had just left," he said. "This time I was enforcing the leadership role.
"I knew that the cadets needed to see and be able to co-exist, lead and at the same time, understand how to adapt to their number one counterpart out in the Army -- their Platoon Sergeant -- as a young second lieutenant," Orem explained.
His plebes were the only class to remain in the same company, rather than scrambling back in 2000. Orem has traveled through their four-year experience with them, and will have the honor of watching them receive commissions as second lieutenants.
"I watched my plebes start to blossom into young common sense thinkers and leaders," he said. "Together we learned from each other."
Orem said the journey has definitely been worthwhile.
"I have watched these men and women for four years," he said. "Now they are leaving this unit as officers and I am proud of them all for the way they have led at the academy, and soon will lead in the Army and for our nation.
"I know that they will join "An Army of One" more prepared than I could have ever imagined." Orem added.
