Sgt Major of the Army Speaks:

[Salty]

From the SMA’s Leader Book

In order for this country to survive and for our families, loved ones and the American people to continue to enjoy the freedoms we hold dear, we must strengthen our personal development, our bonding to others (unit cohesion, family ties), and strengthen our commitment to our country, Constitution and profession.

—7th SMA Glen E. Morrell, USA Ret.

 

[Van]

In order to bond to others we should treat them as we treat ourselves.

We need to stick to the truth.

And our leaders need to defend truth.

When the power of government is weaponized for partizan politics, cohesion is lost.

 

[Roy]

Hey Salty, I actually met this Sergeant Major of the Army one day at Fort Bliss.
Our platoon was TDY there from Ft. Huachuca. My pal and I were sitting on the steps in front of the barracks, waiting for the bus to pick us up and carry us to our job site (we were telephone linemen in the Signal Corps). A car with about 4 sergeant majors in it drove up, and Sergeant Major Van Autreve got out and said "Good morning men". I said "Good morning Sergeant Major." One of the others said "Men, this is the Sergeant Major of the Army." My friend said "Who?" We were sp.4s and my friend was unaware that there was a such thing as Sergeant Major of the Army.
We stood, shook hands with him, the he went on inside the building.
It was a brief and unexpected encounter.

 

[Salty]

I talked to 4 or 5 former SMA in DC. Mrs Salty and I went to the presention of the US Army bands and ect. That particular night Those Sgt Majors happend to be there. I was wearing my First Cav Division T-Shirt Great guys! This was in Jun of 2003

 

[Salty]

View attachment 6640
Hey Salty, I actually met this Sergeant Major of the Army one day ....

He was SMA from 73-75. So he had just become SMA a month before I ETS and retired about a year after I enlisted with prior service

About the SMA:
Leon L. Van Autreve - Wikipedia