U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Lavasia Taylor, the training and operations noncommissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Mission Support Command, was promoted during a ceremony, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2024, at the Clock Tower Café, Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Taylor enlisted in the North Carolina Army National Guard in 2007 as an avenue to pay for college. She completed basic combat training and advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Taylor balanced duties as a finance management specialist and her annual military training requirements with her undergraduate workload, achieving her Bachelor of Science in Economics from North Carolina A & T State University in 2013 as well as her teaching license.

Following a professional opportunity to the Lone Star State, Taylor transitioned from the National Guard to the U.S. Army Reserve to continue pursuing her passion and her purpose.

“I worked in a G8 with experienced Soldiers,” said Taylor. “It saved my military career.”

Encouraged by her team, then Sgt. Taylor applied for and was accepted into the Active Guard – Reserve program.

“It put me in a great position to explore more opportunities,” said Taylor. “I wanted to continue ‘all in’ and AGR was the best way to do that.”

Now an AGR training and operations NCO responsible for a schools program and a senior NCO responsible for mentoring and leading Soldiers, Taylor draws on her background as a college student and as an educator, encouraging her Soldiers to be lifelong learners.

“Higher education can be achieved," said Taylor. “Every Soldier I interact with has doubts about finishing school. It’s an investment that will only yield greater opportunities.”

Professional military education is a requirement when pursuing roles with greater authority and responsibility.

“Seeing Soldiers go to school and return knowing they are soon to promote, building their resume, or newly qualified for their current role to better help the unit is my favorite part of the job,” said Taylor. “I get to build great relationships with Soldiers. I’m here when they leave for training and I get to congratulate them when they return.”

When asked why she continues to serve, Taylor said her work isn’t done yet.

“I want to make space for those in the Army who are overlooked or ignored,” said Taylor. “Soldiers who show up every day doing the best they can but keep hitting walls – Soldiers who need answers and guidance. I hope to reach that audience and leave the Army better than it was when I entered.”

Taylor is married to her wife, Mrs. Porchea Taylor. The family will transition from the 7th Mission Support Command this summer and Sgt. 1st Class Lavasia Taylor will join the 78th Training Division at Joint Base McGuire - Dix - Lakehurst, as a senior human resources NCO.