ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- 1st Sgt. Previn Parker, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, passed Headquarters and Headquarters Company first sergeant responsibilities to 1st Sgt. Matthew Lashley, noncommissioned officer in charge, Support Operations, here, Sept. 3.
Parker, who served as the HHC's first sergeant since 2013, is going to Army Field Support Battalion-Qatar to be the senior enlisted advisor to the commander. He said leaving is bittersweet.
"On the one hand, I am looking forward to moving on in my career, as we all must, but on the other hand, I am leaving a job I have truly loved," said Parker.
Parker said he was grateful for the support he found in the community.
"I truly cared about each and every one of you, and I hope I was able to impact you all in some way; you certainly left an impact on me," he said. "Please feel free to reach out to me in the future if I can do anything at all to help you."
Staff Sgt. Joel Ramirez, who worked with Parker, said that Parker is a great role model and a humble leader.
"He has served a while here, and Soldiers have come to appreciate him more than he knows, and more than he wants to hear. He's not a person to look for public praise or public attention."
Maj. Chandler Fisk, headquarters commandant, ASC, thanked Parker for his service and welcomed Lashley during his speech.
"1st Sgt. Lashley, I have heard nothing but great things about you and your abilities. I am confident that you will do well," Fisk said. "This assignment will be challenging and takes a certain amount of patience and resilience. I have no doubt that you will bring great ideas and enthusiasm to our headquarters."
Lashley said that he hopes to pick up where Parker left off.
"1st Sgt. Parker has been a great asset to this command and has done a great job as its first sergeant, which makes my transition to this position a lot easier," he said, continuing that he thinks there is always room for improvement.
Before coming to Rock Island Arsenal, Lashley was the first sergeant for the 561st Engineer Company, 130th Engineer Brigade, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He said that his experience and background will help him in his new post.
"Being a first sergeant is the most demanding but rewarding position I have had the opportunity to lead Soldiers from," he said. "Working as a team… and taking care of personnel is very important for the success of an organization."
The rank of first sergeant is a designated position of responsibility and authority. A change of responsibility ceremony is a lot like a change of command ceremony and includes a symbolic exchanging of the unit's colors.
Sgt. Maj. Brian Marone, sergeant major, Distribution Management Center, emphasized the significance of the ASC First Sergeant.
"[ASC] is the senior mission command over the entire instillation, so first sergeant Lashley has assumed the duty of being the senior first sergeant across the instillation," said Marone. "He has now assumed the responsibility of care and trust to all Department of the Army civilians, all military, whether they be officer, warrant officer or enlisted, including their families.
"I think he is the right guy to fill the very particular position, I think he will get out there and make great things happen, and he will continue to expand the [ASC] name."
Lashley's lateral promotion ceremony to first sergeant occurred shortly before the change of responsibility ceremony. Col. Doyle Lassitter, DMC commander, ASC, officiated at the promotion.
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