CW5 Ray Noble

CW5 Ray Noble, born in Savannah, Georgia, enlisted in the Army August, 1973. Over his 11-year enlisted career, he served in increasingly responsible roles as a Tracked and Wheeled Vehicle Repairman, Shop Foreman, Section Chief, and Maintenance Sergeant in the United States and Germany. In 1984, Sergeant First Class Noble received his Warrant Officer appointment upon completing the Warrant Officer Candidate Course at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

His initial assignment as a Warrant Officer was with the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), 3rd Squadron 12th U.S. Cavalry in Fort Polk, Louisiana (1984-1987), where he maintained an outstanding operational readiness rate of over 95% for the squadron's equipment. He transformed the periodic service program into a proactive maintenance system, significantly improving equipment readiness and training mechanics, motor sergeants, and unit maintenance officers.

From 1988 to 1991, CW5 Noble served in the 3rd Armored Division, 8th Battalion 3rd Cavalry, both in Gelnhausen, Germany, and Southwest Asia. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, he ensured a 90% equipment readiness rate, contributing to his unit winning the Sword of Freedom Award for Supply Excellence and twice winning the 3rd AD Award for Maintenance Excellence.

Later, Chief Noble served in the 2nd Corps Support Command Materiel Management Center, XVIII Airborne Corps, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was instrumental in transforming the Army logistics system with the implementation of the Single Stock Fund (SSF) and the National Maintenance Program (NMP).

CW5 Noble culminated his career serving in the office of the Assistant Chief of Staff G4, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), deploying multiple times in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His leadership extended to overseeing critical upgrades to the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) fleet, enhancing crew survivability.

CW5 Noble's awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and numerous lesser awards and decorations. He was also awarded the Parachutist Badge.