Sgt. 1st Class Jose Weeks, 38, is glad that he made the choice to stay in the Army and credits his own mentors for turning him into the Soldier he is today. Weeks, a platoon sergeant with the 2-12 Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Stryker Combat Brigade Team, was recently given the 2010 Gruber Award for being the best field artilleryman in the Army.

The Gruber Award, which is named after Brig. Gen. Edmund L. Gruber, composer of ‘The Caisson Song' a.k.a. the Army's official song, is given annually to just one Soldier in the entire Army.

Weeks was nominated by his battalion commander, Lt. Col. Terrence Braley, following their redeployment this past summer, due to his outstanding leadership during the brigade's 2009-2010 deployment to Iraq. Weeks had also deployed in 2007 with 4/2 SBCT.

"His actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of this prestigious award," Braley wrote in the nomination memo.

"I am proud of the work I've done, but also that the Soldiers I serve with work hard and do what I need them to," said Weeks, who has been in the Army for over just over 14 years. "It just means a lot to be recognized out of all of field artillery."

Weeks also credits his wife and mother to their four children, Doris, for his ability to focus during the deployment.

"If we didn't have a good relationship and she wasn't great at handling things at home, I wouldn't be able to do my job," he said.