FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico- Command Sgt. Maj. René Rivera relinquished responsibility as command sergeant major of the 1st Mission Support Command, United States Army Reserve- Puerto Rico, the largest federal Army command in the Caribbean, to Command Sgt. Maj. Harry Muñoz in a ceremony at the command's headquarters, Sept. 8. Muñoz is serving on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is chosen.
"I have known Command Sgt. Maj. Rivera for several years. I have had the great fortune of working with him as my command sergeant major when I was brigade commander, and I know he will do an excellent job at the Command Sergeant Majors Academy, sharing his knowledge and experiences. His work in the 1st Mission Support Command will never be forgotten," said Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernandez, senior Army Reserve officer in the region.
Rivera's next assignment will be at the United States Army Sergeant Majors Academy (USASMA) at Fort Bliss Texas. USASMA creates all curricula for each level of the noncommissioned education system, and plays a key role in the education of all enlisted leaders, from corporal to command sergeant major across the US Army.
"Change is good for the organization and the individual. With new leadership we get fresh ideas and new energy. I believe we have a strong noncommissioned officer corps here in Puerto Rico. For example, we now have our Caribbean chapter of the Audie Murphy Club and have successfully competed in the Best Warrior Competitions at the US Army Reserve Command level. Let's continue empowering our soldiers, so they can accomplish more for this command," said Rivera during his farewell speech.
As interim command sergeant major, Muñoz, whose last assignment was as the 210th Regional Support Group, 1st Mission Support Command's command sergeant major, will perform as the senior noncommissioned officer for the Army Reserve-Puerto Rico soldiers, with an approximate strength of 5,000 troops and responsibility over 10 Reserve centers across Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.
"Today I assume a great responsibility. To be a division level command sergeant major is the dream of every noncommissioned officer. I expect to receive the same level of support that you all provided to Command Sgt. Maj. Rivera, as we continue to work as a team," said Muñoz, a Ponce, PR native, while addressing the audience.
The change of responsibility ceremony is a military tradition. The Army holds the ceremony when a senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) leaves a leadership position and a new NCO arrives. The ceremony renders honors to the departing NCO and provides official recognition for the incoming leader.
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