It’s been a very good year for the recently promoted MSG Mark Lawson.
Lawson, the noncommissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of U.S. Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) Combined Intelligence and Fusion Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., was selected as the U.S. Strategic Command’s senior noncommissioned officer of the year; reassigned to the nation’s newest unified command, USNORTHCOM; and in May, named one of the "Best of the Best" area military members by the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Lawson was selected as the best senior noncommissioned officer, (NCO) from more than 30,000 enlisted troops assigned to Fort Carson, Schriever Air Force Base, Peterson Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, the Air Force Academy, and local National Guard and Reserve units.
"I was in shock," Lawson said, "I was honored just to be nominated to compete for such a prestigious award, let alone selected."
For those who know Lawson it wasn’t a surprise. "He’s a soldier’s soldier," remarked Sergeant Major Dawn Lisbon, senior Army enlisted advisor for USNORTHCOM.
Just when the elation of being named "Best of Best" started to wane, Lawson was promoted to master sergeant and selected to attend the U.S. Army’s First Sergeant Course at Fort Bliss, Texas.
"The course was great," said Lawson. "Several of the students were already in first sergeant positions and they had a lot of experiences to share."
Lawson knew those shared experiences would one day come in handy -- he just didn’t know he’d be getting a chance to use them so soon. Several days after his return to Colorado Springs, Lawson got the news he will be leaving NORTHCOM for Fort Hood, Texas, and a first sergeant position with the 312th Military Intelligence Battalion, 1st Armored Cavalry Division.
Lawson feels his experience in Colorado Springs will help him with his next assignment.
"Working with the reserve components, contractors, civilians, Coast Guard and other government intelligence agencies here at NORTHCOM has broadened my leadership skills," he said. "I’ll take the best of what I’ve learned from working with the Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard and use it."
Lawson said his short-term goal is to take care of his soldiers as a first sergeant. "Down the road I’d really like to be a sergeant major," he added with a grin."
It truly has been a good year for MSG Mark Lawson.