Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Cole

At his base, Gunnery Sgt. Cole is called the "man behind the curtain" and "the one with the knowledge." He is a leader who sets a daily example for his Marines with his profound job knowledge and dedication to his aircraft maintenance work. His consistent encouragement and impartial decision-making skills allow Marines to acquire self-confidence and team confidence. He holds everyone to the same standards he applies to himself, inspiring and impressing all those around him. As one subordinate says, "he personally ensures mission accomplishment, often sacrificing his own personal time." Gunnery Sgt. Cole is widely admired and respected by all Marines who come in contact with him. Another colleague says Cole is a "Marine who greatly improves the condition of the lives he touches with the strength of his character and heart." Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Cole is the type of person who makes you proud to be a Marine.

First Sergeant Harry Rivera

First Sgt. Harry Rivera exemplifies the best the U.S. Marine Corps has to offer. “He is a super leader, in field and in garrison,” says one of his superiors. “A textbook Marine - articulate, smart and knowledgeable.” With a wealth of knowledge gained in real-world combat in Panama and Saudi Arabia, Rivera sets the highest standard for his Marines, and is a tireless leader who does not believe in idle time or unfinished projects. When Rivera came to his command “it was like night and day,” says his sergeant major. The attitude and performance level of those under him changed dramatically. “He makes every Marine feel good about themselves.” Very adaptable in dealing with Marines of all ranks, “he treats every Marine with respect,” says a superior.

Marines who are in trouble know that he will be both fair and firm, and he has been instrumental in improving morale for Marines living in the barracks. He has increased interest and attendance at cultural diversity events to the point where they have become standing-room only affairs. Within his community, he’s a family man who has become a trusted resource for other Marine families. During the recent teachers’ strike in Hawaii, he kept military parents informed so they could take care of their children during this time. He has also brought the DARE program into classrooms to help educate children about drug and alcohol abuse. As one superior stated, “He is a true professional, committed to the Corps. It is an honor to mention his name.” For his dedication to the Corps and his contributions to his community, we say to 1st Sgt. Rivera, Semper Fi!

Sergeant First Class Roy Mickles

Service above and beyond the normal realm of duty is an everyday goal for Sgt. 1st Class Roy A. Mickles. He took the initiative to locate serviceable equipment scheduled for disposal, and organized the logistics to bring it to the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, saving $175,000 and eliminating a training bottleneck at the same time. Other examples of his leadership include an innovative program he established to send students to advanced photography training, his efforts spearheading the post's Black History Month observations and his hosting a Zimbabwean officer in his home for 12 weeks. Leading by example and taking on most any job that's needed, Sgt. 1st Class Mickles is a role model for soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines at his joint-service school.

Sergeant First Class Joe Longinotti

Leadership sometimes means finding strengths and opportunity where others see weakness. Sgt. 1st Class Joe L. Longinotti did not allow one soldier's weaknesses to hold him back. By working with and retaining a specialist who did not show up for his monthly drills and was slated to be dropped from the unit, Sgt. 1st Class Longinotti found the vigor and motivation needed in that specialist to recruit for the Army Reserve. The specialist went on to receive the Sergeant Major of the Army's SMART program award. A veteran of Desert Storm, Longinotti continues to be engaged with others by visiting veterans at the local VA hospital, providing Christmas baskets for families in need and working with the local youth groups and sports teams. Sgt. 1st Class Longinotti's leadership makes a difference in his Reserve unit as well as in his community.

Staff Sergeant Dorian Green

Staff Sgt. Dorian Green exemplifies the commitment to and pride in the profession of being a soldier. "This is a profession, not a job," he's often heard to say. With superior knowledge and skills in the training and development of soldiers, he instills strict discipline, giving his people the guidance, mental toughness and insight needed to get the most difficult tasks accomplished. He is an exceptional leader: "absolutely an outstanding NCO" and "he does all the things that a leader does right," say his colleagues and superiors. He shows great concern and care for his soldiers, providing them guidance and direction for both their personal and professional lives. Staff Sgt. Green has set the highest standard of excellence for his platoon and he motivates his soldiers to achieve their full potential.

Sergeant Tennille Marquis

On an early morning after leaving physical training, Sgt. Marquis was traveling behind a car that swerved across two lanes of traffic and then ran into a ditch, finally rolling over three times before coming to a halt. Sgt. Marquis immediately stopped her car and ran to the accident site. Pulling the victim from the smoking car, she found that the injured driver, a young woman, was profusely bleeding from a gaping wound to the side of her head. Drawing on her Army first aid training, Sgt. Marquis knew she needed to apply pressure to the wound and used the only bandage she had available - the PT clothes she herself was wearing. Sgt. Marquis kept the accident victim alive despite the woman’s falling blood pressure. According to local police and emergency medical technicians, the woman would have died had it not been for the rescue efforts of Sgt. Marquis.

Friends say that,“Tennille Marquis is always the first to volunteer to help,” and she is known as a dependable, hard-working NCO who is always concerned for the welfare of soldiers. “She is a selfless leader and anything soldiers need, she is there for them” says her superior. On post, her captain praises her work as the NCOIC at the field renovations shop. “She has turned this shop into a first-class service for the post,” he says. “The shop is way above the standard and customer service is at a high.” Currently, Sgt. Marquis is working hard to get a degree by attending college nightly. As one of the post sergeants major says, “This is the kind of NCO we want to keep in the Army.”