the 24 yr old native of Jefferson City, Tennessee, decided at age 6 he would one day join the military.
Beginning in February, (due to lack of managements doing their job) he had to step into a billet typically reserved for gunnery sergeants, leading a team of eight mechanics and operators. The gap between a lance corporal and a gunny is one of four ranks and a deacde of experience.
All the while, Nott had to transfer his battery’s equipment — “over 80 pieces of rolling stock,” according to his battalion — to another motor pool.
Nott had to learn the ins and outs of a gunny's job: to properly accomplish transferring vehicles from one place to another, to request more fuel, and to be the leader of his motor pool's lesser ranked Marines with less time in the service, and less time on the job
The gunny who replaced him in July had 16 years of experience in the Marine Corps, according to Nott, who has only five.
On July 24, Acting Commandant, 4 star general, Gen Smith was at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for a scheduled visit to units there, according to spokesman Maj. Joshua Larson. During his visit he pulled Romeo Battery together into a big circle, Nott recalled.
“My battery commander said, ‘Cpl. Nott, get out here,’ and I’m, ‘Rah, sir,’” Nott said. “So I walked out, and next thing I know, (the commandant) is presenting me with the award.”
Nott said Smith then told him to give a few words to the Marines in his battery. So the corporal told them what he has long thought, that it didn’t matter what military occupational specialty they were.
“What matters is we’re all here together,” Nott recalled telling his battery. “Because I wouldn’t be able to do my job if it wasn’t for the gun guys doing their part. They wouldn’t be able to do their part if it wasn’t for the communications guys.” Look out for each other, look out for junior Marines. Leave something behind.
Then he brought up “carpe diem,” and “memento mori,” because “We’re all going to be six feet down one day,” Nott said. “So it was really about what we leave behind. Because you never really understand the true meaning of life unless you understand that you can plant strong roots without ever sitting under the shade of that tree.”
Once the speech was over, Smith asked someone, “Hey, can I do this?” Nott recounted, not sure what was going on.
Smith asked the rest of Romeo Battery, 1st Battalion, WHO thought he should promote Nott right here, right now?
“And the entire battery, they all raised their hands and everything, and next thing I know I was getting promoted to sergeant,” Nott said.
According to the Corps’ promotion policies, the commandant or acting commandant has the authority to give meritorious promotions to the enlisted ranks private first class through sergeant.
Smith had been aware of Nott’s “exceptional performance prior to the award ceremony, but Nott’s speech to the Marines about the merits of selfless leadership and his focus on taking care of his Marines to accomplish the mission inspired everyone in attendance, including Gen. Smith,” Larson said.
The promotion took place in the woods without any extra sergeant pins handy, so Smith obtained one from a sergeant in attendance and pinned it to Nott.
Nott said the work that garnered the award and promotion was made possible by his junior Marines; he just oversaw it, according to a Marine news release.
After his whirlwind day, Nott still had a week left in the field, he told Marine Corps Times. Once he returned from the field, he gave his parents a quick call to let them know about the promotion. And then it was back to work.
Last September I posted about an Air Force news story of exceptional maintenance https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2022/09/a-49-year-old-air-force-ec-130h.html
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