It seemed worth mentioning, what with the stock market, debt ceiling, and Presidential campaign, that plenty of people are still in foreign countries, fighting on behalf of the United States rather than, for instance, checking Twitter to see what’s new.

So we take you now to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, on August 4, 2011, where Command Sgt. Maj. Debbie Schroder was congratulating the newest inductees into the NCO Corps during an NCO induction ceremony. That’s Seattle’s own Sergeant Felicya Adams shaking Schroder’s hand. Becoming a noncommissioned officer is not like the preceding rise in the ranks, which is usually based on time served, openings available, and lack of major screw-ups. Sergeants need to have more on the ball than that. Because they can tell enlisteds how high to jump, they have to demonstrate leadership skills.