Master Sgt. Rochelle Cofield’s career in the Army has been longer and more rewarding than he expected when he first enlisted just a few days after graduating from high school in Georgia. And now as he prepares to retire from the Army, he is secure that his service has him well prepared for his next stage.
Cofield is the senior enlisted advisor to the Field Experiments Division chief of the U.S. Army Joint Modernization Command. As the Division NCOIC, he assists with coordinating, planning, and sustainment operations during JMC’s Joint Warfighting Assessments. He is also responsible for tracking and monitoring personnel readiness, mandatory training, and daily administrative matters in his division.
Cofield will soon be retiring from the Army after more than 25 years of service. But when he first enlisted, he thought he would serve three years then pursue a college education. He found instead that he enjoyed serving in the Army and staying in allowed him to support his family.
“I love serving alongside my brothers and sisters as we make a difference here at home, in Iraq and or any given place where we are needed,” Cofield said. “I love the cohesion and the brother/sisterhood of working together to accomplish any mission or task that is brought before us. It’s been rewarding, whether it’s deploying to Iraq, volunteering and helping in the community or traveling to many places and meeting new people as we experience different cultures.”
Cofield said his time at JMC has made him a better leader and has taught him a lot about how the Army modernizes. He has constantly volunteered in the community, especially in helping judge science fairs in the El Paso community.
“You are always improving your craft as a leader to be well rounded,” he said. “I’ve learned how things work as we bring new equipment to the fight or the battlefield. It must go through a significant number of assessments and testing from us and other agencies to be vetted for safety requirements and does it benefit the Army Soldier to defeat our adversaries.”
Cofield said he was especially impressed to see how Soldier feedback is incorporated into the JMC assessment process.
“During Joint Warfighting Assessments, I like going out to the field to see the Soldiers experimenting and using these new concepts and capabilities,” he said. “I want to hear their feedback about these new gadgets because Soldiers’ opinions are the real reason why we should either keep, make changes or get rid of something.”
Cofield and his wife, Dolly, have enjoyed their time in El Paso, and especially enjoy attending UTEP football and basketball games, hiking and spending time with friends.
“El Paso has incredible mountains to see, and the people are great and friendly,” Cofield said. “I like the weather even though it gets hot. The area is not too small and not too big. They have awesome hiking trails, mountain views and Mexican culture to learn.”
Cofield has spent his time at JMC well: Volunteering, learning and spending time with his family. The attributes that make him an excellent NCO have him well positioned for a successful retirement from the Army, as well.
Joint Modernization Command
Author: Jonathan Koester – Joint Modernization Command
