72nd Field Artillery Brigade welcomes new senior NCO

Published Jan. 12, 2010
By Spc. Britney Bodner
103rd Public Affairs Detachment Montana Army National Guard

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The U.S. Army's highest enlisted rank is that of the command sergeant major, who is responsible for advising the commander and caring for the morale and welfare of troops within his unit. As with all servicemembers, changes in duty stations are inevitable.

The 72nd Field Artillery Brigade held its change-of-responsibility ceremony at Sharpe Field, Army Support Agency Dix, on Jan. 9. Outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Louis D. Tinsley turned over responsibility as the brigade's senior enlisted Soldier to Command Sgt. Maj. James K. Herbert.

Soldiers, families and friends attended the ceremony celebrating the transfer of responsibility, authority and the entrusting of Soldiers from one leader to the next. While change of command ceremonies usually involve the passing of the unit colors to a new commander, in this case a non-commissioned officers' saber was exchanged.

The sword was passed from the Colors Sergeant, Staff Sgt. Guelmy Gloss, the caretaker of the sword, to Tinsley in recognition of his years of service to the unit. The sword was then passed to the commander of the brigade, Col. Timothy R. Williams, who passed it to Herbert, recognizing him as the new command sergeant major. He then returned the sword to the colors sergeant, continuing a 170-year old tradition of the NCO Corps.

To recognize Tinsley's accomplishments with the unit, Williams presented him with a copy of Ernest Hemingway's "Men at War." The colonel said he had read the book as a young Soldier and, after being in combat, came to appreciate it deeply.

"I give copies of this book to those who make a real impression on me," Williams said as he presented it to Tinsley.

Tinsley served as the unit sergeant major for four years and guided the training support brigade through many changes - from when the brigade had 50 units at once on ground to its complete restructuring. Tinsley was a constant in the change, said Williams. During Tinsley's tenure, Soldiers of the 72nd trained, mentored and validated more than 46,000 servicemembers mobilizing in support of ongoing contingency operations around the world. He leaves the 72nd for an assignment with the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment at Hohenfels, Germany.

Tinsley has his new orders, but will miss the unit.

"It's like something has been taken out of me," he said. "I came here straight from Iraq and it's like I'm leaving my family," he said.

His most significant accomplishments are simple ones, Tinsley mentioned, and the biggest one is taking care of Soldiers.

He praised the Soldiers of the 72nd and expressed gratitude to Williams for providing him the opportunity to focus on the care of the Soldiers.

"To the Soldiers of the 72nd, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your hard work and dedication," he said before turning the podium over to the new brigade command sergeant major. "If there is anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to call me."

The Army has a system in place to select command sergeants major that examines their service, experience, and leadership abilities, said Williams.

"We are very lucky today that, as we say goodbye to Command Sgt. Maj. Tinsley and his family, we too welcome Command Sgt. Maj. Herbert and his family, joining us from the 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division," Williams continued. "I am thrilled to say that the standards and discipline of the 72nd Field Artillery Brigade will remain as high as they have been in the past."

"To the Soldiers and Families of the 72nd Brigade, I am honored to be given this opportunity to serve you as the brigade's newest command sergeant major," Herbert said. "I'm absolutely looking forward to this new challenge."

Working within a brigade that includes active-duty, Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers is not something he has previously done, said Herbert.

"This is another side of the Army that I've been looking forward to working with, so I have a better understanding of its components," said Herbert. "I hope I can give as much to this brigade as it will give to me."

Herbert has served in many Soldier and leadership positions within the Infantry, from 90mm Recoilless Rifle gunner to battalion command sergeant major. He served as a first sergeant while in Kosovo and as operations sergeant major during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He was the senior enlisted advisor as part of a 10-man embedded Military Transition Team to the 9th Iraqi Division, and finally served as the battalion command sergeant major with 1-5, 1st SBCT.

Standing before the Soldiers of the 72nd as their new senior NCO, he related an anecdote from early in his career as a Soldier.
"I researched the meaning of 'Soldier,' and I found that it means 'of servitude,'" he said. "I make it my personal mission to live by that definition; to serve the nation, the Army, my unit, and my Soldiers and their families."

The 72nd Field Artillery Brigade plans, coordinates, and administers post-mobilization, pre-deployment training in support of specified U.S. Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard units. The unit also provides pre-mobilization training assistance within its capabilities for Army Reserve and Army National Guard units.

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