KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Sgt. Mitchell Barrett, a senior mechanic with Company B, 501st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Armor Division, Staff Sgt. Adrian Urrutia, a platoon sergeant with Company C, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, Combined Task Force 4-2 (4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division), and Sgt. 1st Class Phillip Preyer, a platoon sergeant with Company C, 702nd Brigade Support Battalion, CTF 4-2, were inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club here, June 22.

"Induction to the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club is prestigious to me," said Urrutia. "I heard about it as a young private and now that I've been inducted, it's a real honor to be part of the great noncommissioned officers that are in it."

The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club (S.A.M.C) is a prestigious private Army organization specifically for enlisted noncommissioned officers whose leadership achievements and performance merit a special acknowledgment. All members of the S.A.M.C show exceptional care and concern for their soldiers in all aspects. Unless they supervise two or more soldiers, when a soldier is deemed worthy of the S.A.M.C members, their senior noncommissioned officer will recommend them for the review process where the soldier will begin a rigorous board examination process.

"The process of the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club is strenuous," said Urrutia. "We did company mock boards followed by a battalion mock board followed by a brigade and then division level."

Each S.A.M.C candidate goes through a series of boards where they will be tested in a variety of areas that include but are not limited to: Audie Murphy history, Army training, leader development, drill and ceremonies, policies and procedures for property accountability, Army command policy, family/soldier support programs, first aid, military justice, military customs and courtesies, etc. The physical fitness test - which includes two minutes of pushups, two minutes of sit-ups and a two-mile run - is also critical to the acceptance into the S.A.M.C. A score of 270 or above must be achieved to be accepted into the club.

Each of the three inducted into the club today were introduced by one of their soldiers whose lives they have affected.

Spc. Louis Martinez, a Stryker system maintainer in Barrett's platoon said Barrett, motivates with words of encouragement and makes everyone strive to do better. Sgt. Scott Smith, a gunner who works with Urrutia said Urrutia is the one to go to because he always has a true answer.

"I just want to encourage other individuals out there, if they want something, just go ahead and go for it," said Urrutia. "It's attainable, just set goals and don't quit."

2nd Lt. Jennifer Frazer is a journalist with the 102nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment