FORT LEE, Va.- With March being Women's History Month, Command Sgt. Maj. Sharon Campbell made history by becoming the 94th Training Division's first female senior enlisted advisor. She replaced Command Sgt. Maj. Arlindo Almeida during a change of responsibility ceremony here at the Wylie Hall, March 18, 2016.
Brig. Gen. Steven W. Ainsworth, the division commander, administered the COR ceremony, which serves the dual function of honoring the departing command sergeant major and officially recognizing the incoming as the command's top enlisted Soldier.
During his speech, Ainsworth told Campbell that she was the right person at the right time for the job.
"You've distinguished yourself in the past, and I'm very happy, very glad to call you my battle buddy, but more importantly I'm very optimistic," he said.
Ainsworth told the crowd that Campbell was ideally suited to build on the foundation of discipline and transparency that Almeida laid at the 94th TD.
"Like the song says, the future's so bright I need to wear shades," Ainsworth said.
Almeida, who joined the 94th TD in 2012, increased the division's overall readiness rate by 35 percent during the first 24 months of his assignment. His influence and encouragement spawned six inductees into the prestigious Sergeant Audie Murphy Club and two winners of the 80th TC's annual Best Warrior competition.
"The 94th is the go-to division in the 80th Training Command, and don't forget that," Almeida said during his speech. "I personally didn't accomplish anything, it was we as a team that accomplished everything that helped the division move forward in a better direction."
"The CSM rank I wear on my uniform is not about me, its' about the Soldiers that I represent and work with," added Almeida, whose next assignment is command sergeant major of the 99th Regional Support Command headquartered at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
Campbell's previous assignment was command sergeant major of the 335th Signal Command (Theater), headquartered at East Point, Georgia, but in the 90s, she was a member of the 94th TD as an instructor.
"A move that changed my entire career and made it better," she said during her speech.
While at the 94th TD, she moved up the ranks as a senior instructor, an operations sergeant and then director of instruction.
"How significant is it that I now stand before you as the division command sergeant major?" she said.
The command sergeant major is the commander's primary advisor and sets the standard for enlisted Soldiers. Campbell will now be responsible for the Soldiers' performance, training, appearance and conduct. In addition to being Ainsworth's primary advisor, She'll also provide direction and guidance to approximately 35 other command sergeants major assigned to 94th TD subordinate units.
Related Links:
Official webpage, 80th Training Command
Official Twitter site, 80th Training Command
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