Soldiers of the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade "Dragons" conducted an assumption of responsibility ceremony at the Osan enlisted club Jan. 29 to formally recognize their new senior enlisted advisor.
Command Sgt. Maj. Jose Villarreal comes from 3rd Battalion 43rd Air Defense Artillery (Patriot) unit out of Fort Bliss, Texas and said that he is excited to serve here in Korea.
"The Dragon Brigade is here, in the snow and the mud and any place necessary to be ready to fight tonight and to protect our national interest," Villarreal said. "The Republic of Korea is a great place with an incredible rich legacy. It is an example to the rest of the world of what a democracy can do when its people enjoy the privilege of freedom."
The commander of the 35th ADA emphasized the significance of the ceremony.
"This ceremony is important because the brigade's air defenders demonstrate our enduring commitment to defending freedom's frontier on the Korean peninsula," said Col. Thomas Nguyen, 35th ADA commander. "The new command sergeant major is critical to ensuring that we carry on this mission. He is a combat-tested leader and like the [noncommissioned officer] sword, he is razor sharp."
Nguyen said that he looks forward to serving alongside Villarreal over the next 18 months.
Villarreal is replacing Command Sgt. Maj. Finis Dodson who departed the unit last October upon selection to assume responsibility of the 94th Army Air Missile Defense Command in Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
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