Command Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxell, senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Command, recently visited U.S. soldiers in Vicenza, Italy, where he toured the post and spoke with the troops.
Troxell toured the Caserma Ederle, home to U.S. Army troops and their family members, civilians and retirees as well as some airmen and sailors, and the housing area at Villaggio, according to an press release. He also spoke to troops about U.S. security matters particular to Europe.
"I wanted them to understand the operational environment, globally, that we operate in, and some of the challenges that we have, not only from nation states, but from violent extremists and non-state actors, so that they understand why the operational tempo we have is high and why it will probably continue to be high," Troxell said.
Troxell also toured Caserma Del Din, a new site housing the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade, after sharing lunch with enlisted military members. He emphasized to senior personnel the important role that junior noncommissioned officers play in the U.S. armed forces, noting that although the concept may strike other nations as unusual, junior NCOs’ being authorized to make decisions ultimately creates more flexibility.
He also spoke about the significance of ensuring comfort for families of those service members stationed abroad.
“Everything they do for families is vitally important," Troxell said. "Because as we're asking these service members to maintain this high operational tempo, and potential (deploy) for three, six, nine months to go to places like Lithuania or somewhere else, it is vitally important that we're taking care of the families back here."
He said that soldiers can focus better on their mission when they know that their loved ones are cared for.
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