Fort Huachuca, Arizona - Outgoing Chief Warrant Officer of the Military Intelligence Corps, Joe Okabayashi, chief warrant officer 5, relinquished responsibility to incoming Chief Warrant Officer of the Military Intelligence Corps, Matthew Martin, chief warrant officer five, during the change of responsibility May 8 in Fitch Auditorium, Alvarado Hall.
Okabayashi has held the position for the past five years, making him the longest serving CWO of the MI Corps at Fort Huachuca thus far. He has worked at Fort Huachuca on and off for the last 10 years.
"Selected in 2010, he has demonstrated expertise as our longest serving chief. His advice and his expertise for multiple commanding generals and senior leaders has been invaluable," said Maj. Gen. Robert Ashley, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence and Fort Huachuca.
"The hardest part about leaving is the people," Okabayashi said. "It really is a wonderful family, a great community and it's typical in the Army that you get really close with the people you work with, but that will be hardest. It has been an honor and a privilege to have served as the chief of the Military Intelligence Corps. And I just can't thank everyone enough for all their support and everything they've done to help make this job really easy and worthwhile."
Okabayashi will continue to work on Fort Huachuca until January when he is set to retire. He hopes to relocate back to Texas.
"It's a great day to celebrate all Joe has done for the Warrant Officer Corps, what he has done for the MI Corps and it's a chance to say thanks to Joe and also a chance to welcome Matt and Robyn," Ashley said.
"He comes to the job with a wealth of experience, in the operational force including multiple deployments and conventional and special operations," Ashley said of Martin. "He is no stranger to Fort Huachuca and I am glad to see him move into this position."
Martin is the sixth chief warrant officer of the MI Corps and has been stationed at Fort Huachuca for the last three years.
"Major General Ashley, I sincerely appreciate your leadership, your vision and your confidence in my abilities to assume the duties and responsibilities of this distinguished position," Martin said after assuming his new role. "My promise is to provide leadership, candied advice, a dedicated and professional performance."
"I'm honored. I think it's a great privilege to be able to serve in this capacity and to give back not only to the rest of the Army but also to the nation, Martin said. I've got a lot of great ideas on how we can progress forward and leverage and build a cohesive team in order to accomplish great tasks, so [I am] definitely looking forward to it."
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