SGM Spadaro receives first Strickland award.

Sergeant Major Stephen E. Spadaro, Co-chair of ADAA's Ad Hoc Committee to the Army, has been named the first recipient of the Larry L. Strickland Educational Leadership Award. SGM Spadaro was cited for his visionary approach in bringing dental assisting education to Army dental assistants through a successful working partnership with the ADAA.

The award is named in honor of SGM Larry L. Strickland who served in the Army for 30 years and was serving as SGM to the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel when he became a victim of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

Presented annually to a "noncommissioned officer who best exemplifies the Army's vision and influences others in shaping future leaders while practicing excellent stewardship of the nation's most precious resource--our soldiers," the award is presented by the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA).

SGM Spadaro assumed his current position as SGM, U.S. Army Dental Command (DENCOM) on January 1, 2001, with the goal of establishing a formal continuing education and a system to recognize proficiency for all military and civilian Dental Specialists assigned to the Dental Command throughout the Army. To achieve this, he has partnered with the ADAA to provide quarterly CE courses and the Dental Assistant Journal to both military and civilian dental assistants with the Army worldwide. As reported by the AUSA in the award presentation collateral materials, over 15,000 courses have been completed and 600 proficiency examinations taken with 2,500 dental assistants in five countries participating in the program. "This has increased the professional knowledge of military and civilian dental assistants while improving the quality of care provided soldiers and enhancing dental readiness," according to the AUSA.

A native of Brooklyn, NY, SGM Spadaro entered the Army in 1978 and received advanced individual training as a Dental Specialist at Ft. Sam Houston, TX. His Army training includes U.S. Army Recruiting School, Station Commander Course, Nurse Recruiting Course, Faculty Development Courses and the Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course, the First Sergeants Course and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. Stephen Spadaro is currently stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX. He and his wife, Cindy, have a son, Stephen, who is 18. In 2002 at ADAA's Annual conference in Honolulu, SGM Spadaro was honored by the ADAA for his efforts in behalf of professionalism in dental assisting.