October corrected.pmd - Fort Hood - U.S. Army

“I just wanted a break from that and see different
options and act a fool,” Braxton said.
After graduating the academy he returned to his
parent’s home in Fayetteville one month later. It wasn’t
long afterwards before the nonverbal hints from his dad
became obvious.
“My dad didn’t push me to join the Army,” Braxton
said revealing a wide grin. “He didn’t have to say it,
but I always knew it [Army] was there.”
He told his dad before going to the Recruiter’s Office
that he wanted to be an infantryman, Ranger, and
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Special Forces.
Imitating his father’s voice, Braxton said, “You don’t
want to be in the dirt, in the field, and dirty all the time.”
At the recruiter’s office he was shown a video for
19D – Cavalry Scout.
“It was a high-speed eye catcher with Soldiers riding
on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, dune buggies and
Bradley’s jumping off of sand dunes,” Braxton said after
laughing uncontrollably. “That caught me right there. I
was sold like a sucker. What’s funny is that my recruiter
was a scout, which I found out later.”
Hardcore lessons key to
developing seasoned NCOs, leaders
At 64 and 65 inches tall respectively,
Braxton and Mojo walk with the attitude
of two pit bulldogs and their leadership
style is reflective of the breed –
energetic, playful, loyal, loving, protective, and intelligent.
Both are brash, tough and bring an uncompromising
aura of discipline to the men under their charge.
Whether it’s breaking track or breaking down a
weapons system, the two NCOs don’t mind getting dirty
with their Soldiers.
And both have brought the pain to their Soldiers
when they’ve failed to perform to standard.
“If you’re buddy-buddy with a Soldier, it’s wrong
because a Soldier will think they can get away with
anything,” Mojo said. “You have to set your boundaries
and let them know who is in charge. That’s the
way I was brought up in the Army.”
Braxton who revealed he was a ‘knucklehead’ as a
junior Soldier, but was thankful for the tough love his
NCOs gave him – although he didn’t appreciate it at
the time.
“I always tell my Soldiers that everything we do,
we do it for a reason,” Braxton said. “I’ve learned that
since I’ve become an NCO. I see the benefit from that
tough love and it was for a reason. And that’s what I try
to pass on to them.”
Not every moment of the two seasoned NCOs career
have been glorious. Both have stood ‘on the carpet’
to accept punishment under the Uniform Code of
Military Justice and accepted the consequences of poor
performance.
Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Donald Sparks
Col. H.R. McMaster, 71st Colonel of the Regiment,
share a laugh with Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Marjerrison on
top of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle following
Marjerrison’s reenlistment ceremony held Oct. 2 on
Forward Operating Base Sykes, Iraq.
THE MOUNTED RIFLEMAN/OCTOBER 05