USAG welcomed its new command sergeant major

By Natalie LakosilMay 29, 2015

usa image
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Thomas A. Boone, U.S. Army Garrison commander, right, passes the noncommissioned officers' sword symbolizing the change of responsibility for USAG to the incoming USAG command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Carmelo Cruz during the change of r... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
usa image
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left, outgoing interim U.S. Army Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. LaVander Wilkerson, Directorate of Emergency Services, USAG; Col. Thomas A. Boone, Fort Huachuca Garrison commander; and incoming USAG Command Sgt. Maj. Carmelo Cruz stand on stage in F... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Fort Huachuca, Arizona - Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Carmelo Cruz, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Huachuca, was welcomed with open arms Wednesday afternoon during the change of responsibility ceremony in Fitch Auditorium, Alvarado Hall.

Outgoing interim USAG Command Sgt. Maj. LaVander Wilkerson relinquished responsibility to Cruz in front of the assembled crowd.

"The great news is that we don't have to say farewell to anyone today which is a common occurrence at a [change of command or] assumption of responsibility," said Col. Thomas A. Boone, Fort Huachuca Garrison commander. "In the interim, Sergeant Major Wilkerson stepped into the breach as our sergeant major for the garrison. Sergeant major, thanks for stepping up; you provided sound guidance and continued with the mission. You have served the garrison well and I'm sure DES (Directorate of Emergency Services) is happy to have you back full time."

Wilkerson, who served as interim command sergeant major for the last three months, said serving as USAG command sergeant major was a great opportunity for him. "I was able to work with so many great civilians and was also able to get a better picture of how things work inside garrison -- things I did not know before.

"It was a great opportunity for me to have the opportunity to be the interim garrison command sergeant major," Wilkerson said. "I thought I brought a little bit of diversity to the role due to the fact that I am a military police officer. Overall, it was a great experience for me. I worked for a great colonel, and it was just a great opportunity."

Cruz, who has been stationed at Fort Huachuca twice before, recently returned from Fort Benning, Georgia, to take on his new role. "I call Fort Huachuca my second home and I'm looking forward to working with all of the units and the civilians who make this post the great place that it is," he said.

Cruz hopes to make a positive impact on the installation while serving as garrison command sergeant major. "I want to assist Soldiers who are coming into … and leaving the Army to make sure they get all of the benefits and assistance offered to them and to help make their transition to the civilian world [easier], if that's what they choose," he said.

"I have been blessed to work with four phenomenal command sergeants major in my career and Sergeant Major Cruz is no exception," Boone told the crowd. "You have hit the ground running and I want to thank you for that. It is great to have you, [your wife] Nilda, and the family on the garrison team as I know you will continue to make us all better."