FORT SILL, Okla. (Nov. 14, 2013) -- Soldiers and civilians of the 75th Fires Brigade welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Harrison, their 18th brigade CSM, during a change of responsibility ceremony Nov. 6 at Artillery Bowl, here.
After nearly two years at the helm of the 75th Fires Brigade, Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Soto Bonilla, outgoing CSM, was showered with accolades. He quickly shifted the spotlight off of himself recognizing those whom he considered to be influential factors in his success as a leader.
"The only reason I've had any success in the Army is due to three things: a God that blessed me daily, a wife and family that love and support me, and when I have been given a chance to serve, I have had great Soldiers like the ones in attendance who have made me successful."
During his tenure as the most senior noncommissioned officer for the brigade, Soto Bonilla helped guide the "Tough As Diamonds" Soldiers through many changes as the Army continually adapted its policies.
He also established the brigade's Sergeant Audie Murphy Club program, its noncommissioned officer induction ceremony, and along with his wife, Elena, was actively involved in its family and community relation programs.
"The real challenge for me today is figuring out how best to describe what Command Sergeant Major Soto and his wife Elena have meant to the Diamond Brigade," said Col. Michael Eastman, brigade commander.
Eastman recalled how, while deployed to the United Arab Emirates, Soto Bonilla erected tents, filled sandbags at midnight around the tactical operations center, and served meals in the dining facility.
"When I think about how best to characterize Command Sergeant Major Soto as a leader, it is his actions, rather than his words, that provide the clearest definition," said Eastman. "With simple examples like these, he shared the burden with our Soldiers and clearly demonstrated a leadership style that placed the well-being of subordinates above his own."
"I love to be in the trenches with our Soldiers, and I wouldn't change this profession for anything else in the world," said Soto Bonilla.
Soto Bonilla's career path is currently at a fork in the road as he is currently being considered for two high level positions; in kind, the 75th FiB, too, is in a transition phase.
"It is important to maintain continuity, but it is just as important to welcome change," said Harrison.
The 27-year veteran is not a stranger to the "Tough As Diamonds" Brigade. He served the unit as a platoon sergeant with 1st Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, in 1998. In that span of time, the Army, and the brigade, has made historic changes in its force structure and the way it operates.
"The brigade doesn't have a long history but it has a great history," he said.
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