229th MI Battalion Soldiers gather for change of responsibility ceremony

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Soldiers from the 229th Military Intelligence Battalion stationed at the Presidio of Monterey gathered for a change-of-responsibility ceremony at the Presidio of Monterey's Soldier Field March 21.

The time-honored ceremony is a simple event steeped in military tradition. It serves the dual function of rendering honors to the departing command sergeant major and provides official recognition of the transfer of authority.

Taking the podium to make his farewell remarks to during the ceremony, battalion commander Lt. Col. Frank Smith said that "Today is bittersweet for me because I could not have selected a better battle buddy. Ray, it's been one hell of a ride … over the past two years we've seen truly great accomplishments across the battalion."

At the center of the ceremony is a simple yet traditional event which serves the dual function of rendering honors to the departing command sergeant major and provides official recognition of the passing of authority and responsibility from one Soldier to another and literally involves the presentation of the noncommissioned officer's sword.

The sword is more than a symbolic token; it is a functional weapon -- not intended for idle display.

"I am prouder to have served with the 229th than any other organization I've ever served with," said Ramsey, recalling his tenure with the 229th MI. "I hope that I will be fortunate enough to serve with some of you again."

Ramsey departs the Presidio to his next assignment where he will assume the position as command sergeant major for 743rd Military Intelligence Brigade at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

In the course of his military career Ramsey has deployed in support of operations to Latin America, Bosnia, Southwest Asia and Central Asia.

Wilkes comes to the 229th after serving as the I Corps G2 sergeant major at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

In his brief remarks Wilkes wished the departing Ramsey well at his new station and commented on how pleased and gratified he was to be back at the Presidio and among the Soldiers of the 229th.

Wilkes, a native of Amalga, Utah, enlisted in the Army in September 1986 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

No stranger to the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center or the California central coast, Wilkes began with the Spanish Basic Course through DLIFLC at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1987, during the short period when DLIFLC opened a temporary branch at the "other" Presidio.

In 1991, Wilkes attended the Russian Basic Course at DLIFLC here; and in 1996 he attended an abbreviated Serbo-Croatian course prior to deployment to the Balkans. Wilkes has proficiency in Bulgarian, German, Hungarian and Ukrainian.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts from Regents College, a Teaching Certificate from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and is completing his Master in Teaching Foreign Language from MIIS.

Wilkes has previous overseas tours in Panama, Germany, Hungary, the Balkans, Iraq and Korea.

After the ceremony, Soldiers, families and POM civilian employees welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Robert P. Wilkes as the newest member of the 229th MI Battalion and made their farewells to outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond S. Ramsey.

To learn more about the people and facilities of the Presidio of Monterey visit the official garrison website at www.monterey.army.mil.