Airmen advise Iraqi senior enlisted council

Published May 12, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

CAMP TAJI, Iraq (AFNS) -- For the first time in recent history, Iraqi enlisted senior leaders are meeting on a regular basis as part of a new enlisted organization here.

Iraqi Army sergeant majors, with the guidance of Joint Expeditionary Tasking, or JET Airmen, recently stood up the Taji Sergeant Major Counci. This council is a private organization seeking to improve the morale and promote the general welfare of enlisted members assigned to or associated with Camp Taji.

The brainchild of Master Sgt. Shawn McMillian, the Joint Headquarters Army advisor and training team senior enlisted advisor here and member of the 732nd Air Expeditionary Group JET, the council mirrors the Air Force's traditional senior enlisted organizations.

"The idea came to me when I first arrived here," Sergeant McMillan said. "I noticed that the Iraqi sergeant majors, for one, didn't know each other and secondly weren't communicating with each other to resolve enlisted issues."

"In the Air Force, we have the Top 3 Council and the Chief's Group. We meet and discuss enlisted issues, and we take care of these issues for our enlisted personnel. (The Iraqis here) needed something to help take care of their junior enlisted," he added.

The council held its inaugural meeting March 16, but has since grown from Sergeant McMillan's original idea.

"I never thought we would get this far with it originally," he said. "I just wanted to meet with the main sergeant majors on the base, but it turned into a joint effort. We have Iraqi Air Force sergeant majors, we have Iraqi National Police and Iraqi Army."

Similar to an Air Force base's Chief's Group or Top 3, the Taji Sergeant Major Council meets twice a month to discuss a series of enlisted issues regarding pay and other subjects to take care of the general interests of all enlisted members assigned to or visiting the camp.

This truly is for the whole base," Sergeant McMillan said. "The whole base is represented (at the meetings). We have so far to go, but like I tell the sergeant majors, 'before you climb a flight of stairs, you have to take that first step.'"

The Taji Sergeant Major Council is working to develop an enlisted recognition program for Camp Taji, to include promotion boards. In addition, the council is working with the Iraqi Ministry of Defense to develop standard-operating procedures for uniform wear for Iraqi forces and it's developing community and military projects designed to improve the appearance and image of Camp Taji.

Most recently, the Taji Sergeant Major Council visited IA veterans to thank them for their sacrifice to the country. As each veteran received their pay, they also received a "morale bag" containing snacks, toiletries and hygiene items from members of the council.

Overall, Sergeant McMillian and his Army counterpart, Sergeant 1st Class Misty Wolthuis, JHAATT-Taji command element administrative noncommissioned officer in charge, are working closely with the Iraqi MOD to make this type of council available for all Iraqi services across the country.

"We are working toward that goal of ultimately taking care of our (Iraqi) soldiers here on base and also getting this (council) as a template for the rest of the Iraqi Army," Sergeant McMillian said. "This is not going on anywhere else (in Iraq)."

Since the council is the only one of its kind, the sergeants send each meeting's minutes and other information to MOD to show the progress being made at Camp Taji. The council also sends a report of each of its meeting minutes to Brig. Gen. Saba, Camp Taji location commander, to ensure leadership is involved in the council's progress.

"MOD is keeping tabs on us, seeing how we're doing, and hopefully we can convince them to make this council Iraq-wide," Sergeant McMillan said. "I have faith that this council can have a positive impact on our Iraqi forces."

The council is working to strengthen its enlisted force by talking about some pressing enlisted issues that need improvement -- like enlisted promotion cycles and proper pay for their Soldiers.

"This council is going to help better Taji and its enlisted forces," Sergeant Wolthuis said. "It's going to get the senior enlisted to come together to (discuss) promotions for their junior enlisted. It's going to help make for a well-rounded Taji and help it become better."

The council also highlights a basic tenant of the military.

"It is our job as senior enlisted to take care of the junior enlisted," Sergeant McMillian said. "With this council, (the Iraqi senior enlisted) are taking care of Iraqi soldiers here."

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