FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Three U.S. Army Soldiers were inducted into Sergeant Audie Murphy Club (SAMC) near Brigade Hill, here on Jan. 23.

The ceremony took place by a bonfire where Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) from Sergeant up to Command Sergeant Major paid homage to their newest members as they walked through “the arch” to join their brothers and sisters who are considered to be in “the top ten percent of NCOs”.  The evening was spent “remembering brothers and sisters like ourselves who have done a lot, and what they sacrifice and continue to do for not just the club, but also, for the community, soldiers and the Army in general,” conveyed Sgt. Briana Stokes.

To be considered as a candidate an NCO may be recommended by his chain-of-command to participate in the rigorous board examination process.  Since The last induction ceremony, Sept. 2015, Soldiers have undergone physical exams and evaluation boards to select the top NCO who “…exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development, and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers (FORSCOM Reg. 600-8, paragraph 1).”

In 2016, three NCOs from here were selected to be awarded the Sergeant Audie Murphy Award (SAMA).  Once a Soldier is bestowed with the SAMA they then attend an induction ceremony where they are endowed with a medallion, “bringing them in as another brother or sister in arms…into a club where there is only a select few,” said Sgt. Stokes.

In 1986, the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club was established in Fort Hood, Texas, in honor of Audie Murphy, who received every decoration for valor that this country had during his time in service, plus 5 decorations presented to him by France and Belgium.  Since 1994, other units of the U.S. Army have established chapters of SAMC as exclusive clubs to honor noncommissioned officers (Corporal E-4 through Sergeant First Class E-7) who have acted in a manner consistent with the actions of Audie Murphy.  For more information about the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club visit http://www.audiemurphy.com/samc.htm.