The Second Sergeant Major John A. Nicolai Leadership Lecture

• Author: SGM (Retired) Gunther M. Nothnagel
• Pages: 247-261

2014] SECOND SGM JOHN A. NICOLAI LECTURE 247

THE SECOND SGM JOHN A. NICOLAI LEADERSHIP

LECTURE*

SGM (RETIRED) GUNTHER M. NOTHNAGEL1

* This is an edited transcript of a lecture delivered by Sergeant Major (Retired) Gunther

M. Nothnagel to members of the staff and faculty, and their distinguished guests, on June

11, 2013.

The Sergeant Major (SGM) John A. Nicolai Leadership Lecture is named in honor

of Sergeant Major John A. Nicolai, who served as the Sixth Sergeant Major of the JAG

Corps, U.S. Army, from April 1, 1992, to August 16, 1994, during the time Major

General (Retired) Nardotti was The Judge Advocate General.

Sergeant Major Nicolai entered the U.S. Army in June 1964 and graduated basic

training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He completed advanced individual training at

Fort Sam Houston, Texas, as a Medical Corpsman. After serving as a medic at Fort

Hood, Texas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, he

separated from the Army in August 1968. He re-entered the Army in November 1970,

and again served as a medic at the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station in

Fargo, North Dakota, and the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity–Korea. His

request for reclassification as legal specialist was approved in 1974 and he was assigned

in that capacity as the Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) In Charge (NCOIC), Criminal

Law Division, U.S. Army Air Defense Center and Fort Bliss, Texas; Clerk of Court, 3d

Judicial Circuit, Fort Bliss, Texas; NCOIC Administrative Law Division, 8th Infantry

Division, Germany; Chief Legal NCO, 7th Medical Command, Germany; Chief Legal

NCO, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Chief Legal NCO, 8th Infantry

Division, Germany; and as Chief Legal NCO, I Corps and Fort Lewis, Fort Lewis,

Washington.

He was a graduate of the Sergeants Major Academy, Class 32, and completed the

Legal Advanced NCO Course and the U.S. Air Force Advanced Legal Course. He

earned an Associate of Arts Degree from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor’s

Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

His awards include four Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service

Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, and the Army Achievement

Medal.

A native of North Dakota, he was married to Kathleen Schaffer of Minnesota, and

had three daughters, Christine, Monika, and Catherine.

On April 1, 1992, Sergeant Major Nicolai assumed the position as Sergeant Major, the

Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and was the sixth sergeant major to hold this position.

1 Sergeant Major (Retired) Gunther M. Nothnagel served as the Third Regimental

Sergeant Major from 1985–1986.

His assignments included: Chief Legal Noncommissioned Officer (NCO), 1st

Army, Fort Meade, Maryland; Chief Legal NCO, United Nations Command and 8th

Army, Korea; Chief Legal NCO, U.S. Forces Command (FORSCOM), Fort McPherson,

Georgia; Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAGC) Liaison to Military Personnel Center

(MILPERCEN), Alexandria, Virginia; Chief Legal Instructor, Fort Benjamin Harrison,

Indiana; Chief Legal Clerk Instructor, U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) & 7th Army,

Germany; Chief Legal NCO, Criminal Justice Division, USAREUR & 7th Army,

Germany, Legal Clerk, U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Benning, Georgia; Senior Court

Reporter, 101st Airborne Division, Vietnam; Senior Court Reporter, Fort Campbell,