MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gainey, the first-ever senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited with the troops here Nov. 9.

While here Sgt. Maj. William Gainey spoke with troops during two enlisted calls at the Tohoku Enlisted Club.

His advice to troops was be the best "you" you can be.

"Be the best that you can be at what they do at that time," he said. "Each step in your career is important. Be true to yourself, be true to your comrades, be true to your family, be true to your God and be true to your country. That alone will get you to where you need to go and don't worry about looking to the stars as a leader ... because guess what? Then you forget the young men and women who are on the ground supporting you. If you take care of your troops, they will definitely take care of you. And always remember, 'Private Gainey' is just as important as 'Sgt. Maj. Gainey'."

Team Misawa is familiar with the phrase "point on the tip of the spear" and the sergeant major spoke of the importance of the Pacific region and Misawa's position on that tip.

"The last two days that I've been talking to the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coasties they understand how important they are," said Sgt. Maj. Gainey. "I tried to stress to them that you might not be in Iraq, but what you're doing here is just as important as being in Iraq because you're thinking way out and thinking way out saves lives. The men and women here are committed to the Global War on Terrorism."

The CSM was impressed with Airmen in Japan and with Team Misawa.

"I've noticed the professionalism throughout the region," he said. "Professionalism is not a part-time job. What I want the young men and women to understand and the ones that I saw is that you are the most professional group of folks that I've ever met in my 32 years in the service and that's not blowing smoke, that's telling you the facts and thank you for what you're doing and I am honored as the other leaders are to be on your team."