A major change came to the Corpus Christi Army Depot as the workforce welcomed their new Command Sergeant Major, Martin D. Dickinson.
SGM Dickinson assumed responsibility of the CCAD colors in an Assumption of Responsibility ceremony on January 31. Depot Commander COL Garner Pogue III passed the colors to him.
"This is not the first time I've served with SGM Dickinson," COL Pogue said as he welcomed him to his new assignment. As seasoned combat veterans, the two worked together earlier in their military career.
"There is no better soldier that I could have asked for. As the commander, I will be better with the sergeant major's assistance as my battle buddy. It's as important now as it's ever been to have a senior noncommissioned officer of an aviation brigade here."
Before his arrival, CCAD operated without a sergeant major for three years.
In his new role, SGM Dickinson will help posture the depot for the future by working with the workforce to apply direct leadership to real problems.
It is the CCAD team, the sergeant major says, that makes his position so important.
"From the eyes of the apprentice aviation maintainer in the field, you are on the highest step of the podium," he told his CCAD audience. "You have earned their trust, confidence and admiration. This is evident by the Army's excellent readiness rates despite flying more than 7 million combat hours in the last 12 years. No other army in the world can achieve that. You are relevant and vital to our national security."
As the depot's sergeant major, SGM Dickinson will bring the workforce's ideas and concerns to the Command. In the past, depot leaders have discovered that some of the best and most innovative ideas for positive change are taken from the skilled men and women working in production shops every day.
The sergeant major feels that a positive collaboration between Depot Command and the workforce is needed if the depot wants to maintain its posture as the cornerstone of Army aviation for helicopter support.
"By working together, we can sustain and improve our operation to provide the absolute best support to our Warfighters," SGM Dickinson said.
A native of Detroit, Michigan, SGM Dickinson has accumulated a wealth of helicopter maintenance knowledge since he began his Army career in 1983. His deployments include Operations Enduring/Iraqi Freedom and Operations Desert Shield/Storm.
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