WO1 Kevin Woods and WO Brian Boughton discuss the office of RSM-A in the office of the RSM-A. WO1 Woods has been selected to succeed WO Boughton in the position from January 2004. Photo by Cpl Jonathan Garland, Army newspaper

Next RSM-A named

By Cpl Jonathan Garland
CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy has chosen the soldier who will become the Australian Army’s seventh RSM-A in January next year.

WO1 Kevin Woods, Academy Sergeant Major at ADFA, was selected from a shortlist of three, each of whom was interviewed by a selection panel.

The panel consisted of the CA, Land Commander Australia Maj-Gen David Hurley, Commander Training Command – Army Maj-Gen Ian Gordon and the RSM-A WO Brian Boughton.

WO Boughton said this was the first time, to his knowledge, candidates had gone through a formal selection board process.

“CA decided he would like to interview the members and give them the opportunity to put their case forward for why they should be considered for the position,” he said.

“Contenders in the past have been interviewed but the process was more formal on this occasion and I hope this is something we see continue in the future.”

The decision was made 12 months in advance of WO Boughton’s departure to allow the other RSM appointments to be considered and to take effect.

“This means SCMA doesn’t have to go into a promotion advisory committee with a flexible or hypothetical structure, based on their guess as to who the RSM-A is going to be.”

WO1 Woods said he was very proud when he was informed he had been selected to go before the panel.

“I think it’s every soldiers dream that one day they may be selected as RSM-A– well, I was extremely proud and a bit overwhelmed,” he said.

WO Boughton said he planned to begin exposing WO1 Woods to the nature of the position and to some of the administrative tasks well ahead of the handover date at the end of the year.

“Rather than have a period of 10 days at the end of the year when I try and dump everything on him, my aim will be to feed him this stuff as it’s occurring throughout the year and give him my views,” he said.

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