Soldier of the Year Pfc. Jonathan Budnik of 335th Signal Command inspects some of the challenge coins he received Friday. (Melissa Marshall • Herald/Review)
Posted on 06/11/2011 12:55:10 PM PDT by SandRat
FORT HUACHUCA — A pair of Signal Corps soldiers were named the top soldier and noncommissioned officer for the Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th Signal Command (Army) Friday morning.
And for one, Pfc. Jonathan Budnik — the command’s Solider of the Year — there were three surprises when his father, mother and grandmother showed up during the competition by coming to Arizona from Nevada.
Named NCO of the Year was Sgt. Harold Stoker, who represented the 311 Signal Command (Theater) located at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
Maj. Gen. Jennifer Napper, who heads NETCOM/9th, her senior enlisted adviser Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Williams and Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Blackwood of Army Cyber Command all agreed the competition was tough and all the competitors are due appreciation for their efforts.
When she saw the competitors on Sunday, Napper said, “they all looked perky.” At the ceremony in the auditorium of Greely Hall on Friday, however, she told them “you are looking a little tired today.”
The 10 competitors — five for the soldier honor and five for the NCO honor — started going through a number of tests, mostly physical, early Monday morning, completing their endeavors by standing before a board of senior NCOs on Thursday.
The general said soldiers and NCOs are “national assets” who make America’s armed forces successful.
Williams noted “it takes a special soldier to make it to this competition,” speaking of the junior enlisted ranks and NCOs.
All the competitors brought “determination and professional credentials” to this year’s events, he said.
Blackwood noted the competitors were their best of the commands and, as such, “they represent all the soldiers and NCOs in their units,” adding in such a competition the “character of every soldier and NCO is tested.”
And although they competed against one another, they did so “as individuals and as a team,” Blackwood said.
All the competitors were called onto the stage with soldiers on one side and NCOs on the other.
Each one received an Army Commendation Medal.
Based on the scores, soldiers’ and NCOs’ names were called out until there were two soldiers and two NCOs left — one of each would be the runners-up and the other would be named the Soldier and NCO of the Year.
The soldier runner-up was Spc. Ethan Berry, representing the 7th Signal Command (Theater), which has its headquarters at Fort Gordon, Ga.
The NCO runner-up was Staff Sgt. Adam Fontanez, representing the 5th Signal Command (Theater), which has its headquarters in Germany. He also was presented an award for writing the best safety essay.
Stoker, who calls Honolulu home, is married and has three children.
Of the competition he said coming from near sea level, “competing at an elevation of 4,500 feet was difficult.”
Budnik’s father, Jeff, said his son is currently stationed in Kuwait and said he was not going to be able to visit the family because he was scheduled to leave Sunday.
So, the dad said, the family, which lives in Henderson, came to him.
“We googled Fort Huachuca, flew into Tucson and drove here,” Jeff said.
That “we” included Budnik’s mother, Angelita, and grandmother, Amalia.
Jeff said they ran into Sierra Vistan Rich Lazsok, who immediately helped them find their way around the city and the fort, even getting the family to the hotel where the competitors were staying.
Budnik said one of the competitors told him his mother was looking for him and his reaction was probably akin to, “Oh yeah, right away.”
Dad said his son was very focused but now that he has won, he will not have to return to Kuwait on Sunday as Budnik and Stoker will be remaining awhile longer for additional training before heading off to the U.S. Forces Command Soldier of the Year and NCO of the Year competition, representing NETCOM/9th.
A male, that’s interesting.
One of the most MISERABLE posts in all of the stateside posts and perhaps anywhere on earth. Soldiers not so affectionately refer to it as Fort WE-GOT-CHA! A place. where if a soldier goes AWOL (Absent With Out Leave) they don't even start to look for you for at least 5 days ... Because the MP's can still SEE YOU in the distant desert.
That’s great for the this young man. My son just became a member of the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club. I like to see our soldiers rewarded for the hard work they do.
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