Command Sgt. Maj. Gabriel Arnold relinquished responsibility as the U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School regimental command sergeant major in a ceremony held July 9 on Fort Leonard Wood's MSCoE Plaza.
The reviewing officer for the ceremony, Brig. Gen. Maria Gervais, Chief of Chemical and USACBRNS commandant, thanked those in attendance for sharing in a bittersweet day.
"I know today is bittersweet for the Arnold Family," Gervais said. "Command Sgt. Maj. Arnold will leave a position as the senior enlisted adviser for our regiment, where he has truly made a difference for all of our CBRN formations and our dragon Soldiers, their Families and civilians; where he has been instrumental in turning civilians into Soldiers for our Army."
Gervais said Arnold was truly respected within the regiment, the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and the Army.
"He has a reputation for being hard, for being fair and just, and he has a reputation for having a passion for leadership, leader development and taking care of our Soldiers -- but not just our Soldiers, any service member and the civilians and our Family members," Gervais said. "He has left a legacy through our regiment for his professionalism, for his vision, for his commitment, for his mentorship, for duty, honor and country."
After the passing of the noncommissioned officer sword from Arnold to Gervais, the sword was passed to Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Aldenberg, acting regimental command sergeant major, for safekeeping.
Arnold and his Family will be moving to Fort Knox, Ky., where he will serve as the command sergeant major for the United States Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox.
"He has the opportunity to influence the future leaders of our Army by interacting with more than 33,000 college students enrolled in the ROTC program, and he has the opportunity to impact the future of this great nation of ours through not only the senior ROTC program but also through the junior ROTC program that has more than 300,000 cadets in that program," Gervais said.
Arnold thanked the Soldiers in closing.
"Without them we wouldn't have a job, and so they continue to be the benchmark and the reason why we need to strive so hard as an Army and as leaders to do the best we can."
Aldenberg will be acting regimental command sergeant major until the arrival of Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Kraus Jr., who is coming from U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.
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