FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Jan. 28, 2016) -- Although it was one of the shortest assignments during his time in the Army, Command Sgt. Maj. R. Ray Lewis told a packed house Jan. 22 at Magrath Gym that serving as their senior enlisted leader was the most "rewarding" experience and the "highlight" of his career as he handed over responsibility to Command Sgt. Maj. Charles W. Albertson.
"For (noncommissioned officers), there is no greater honor to be given than the responsibility of a command sergeant major; to rise the ranks to the level of division command sergeant major is an accomplishment that only a very few attain," said Brig. Gen. Paul Bontrager, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum acting senior commander, who presided over the change of responsibility ceremony. "These positions are not given lightly; they are earned through proven performance and demonstrated potential."
Bontrager described Lewis as a "model" for all Soldiers, and he thanked Lewis and his wife Guin for their dedication and selfless service to the Soldiers and Families of the division.
Lewis used the venue to thank the division's Soldiers, Families and community members for making him and his Family feel at home during their time in the North Country and to let Albertson and his Family know what they can come to expect.
"To Chuck and Carmen, make every moment count," Lewis said. "This is an amazing division, and you'll benefit from this remarkable Family and North Country community; Guin and I have never been so at home in our travels as we were here. … You will quickly come to see what I mean."
Lewis began his tenure as the 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum command sergeant major Jan. 16, 2014, as the division was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom XV at Bagram Airfield. He would quickly join them there as the U.S. Army division to end the OEF mission in eastern Afghanistan as a part of NATO's regional commands.
Last November, Lewis deployed with the division back to Bagram Airfield in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel as the U.S. Forces Afghanistan National Support Element sergeant major. He redeployed earlier this month to prepare for his retirement after 33 years.
Similar to Lewis' start with the 10th Mountain Division, Albertson has taken over as the senior enlisted leader during the division's deployment to Bagram Airfield. He will soon join the division there in support of the Resolute Support Mission's Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
He and his Family arrived at Fort Drum from Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., where he was the regimental sergeant major for the 75th Ranger Regiment.
During his career, Albertson has deployed 14 times to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan for 52 total months. With Albertson's wealth of leadership and experience, Bontrager said he is the "perfect fit" for this division.
Albertson will not be at Fort Drum long before he heads to Afghanistan to join the division during its deployment, but he thanked both the Fort Drum and local communities for the warm reception for him and his Family.
"The reception from the division and community have been phenomenal -- really overwhelming quite frankly, and we appreciate everything that everyone has done to this point," he said. "I look forward to knowing as many Soldiers in the division as I can."
Albertson began his career in 1992 at 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., as a company rifleman, up to a weapons squad leader. Then at Headquarters, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, Ga., as a regimental air noncommissioned officer; 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash., as a rifle platoon sergeant; at the 75th Ranger Regiment Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Va., as a liaison; 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., as a company first sergeant; at 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, at Fort Knox, Ky., as the battalion operations sergeant major; then again as the command sergeant major for 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.
He has completed all required levels of the NCO Education System including the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. His military schools include Airborne; Ranger; Combatives Level-1; Jumpmaster; Pathfinder; Special Operations and Tactics; Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Level-C; and Emergency Medical Technician-Basic.
He is married to the former Carmen Rios of Savannah, Ga., and they have two sons, Seth and Victor.
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