FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Members of the Fort Drum community welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan L. Alfaro as the new garrison senior enlisted adviser during a ceremony Wednesday at the Commons and bade farewell to Command Sgt. Maj. Kristopher Cook.
Alfaro and his Family arrived at Fort Drum from Fort Irwin, Calif., where he served at the National Training Center as the command sergeant major observer / controller for the operations group.
Col. Bryan Laske, Fort Drum garrison commander, welcomed the Alfaros to the North Country and remarked on how quickly they are acclimating to their new post.
"They're coming from the desert, so the first thing they did was get some puffy coats, and they jumped right in ... not only to the climate here but also the community," Laske said. "It's great to have them on board. They're a great leadership team and are very experienced, very seasoned and very capable of carrying on the standards we have in the Fort Drum garrison."
Alfaro has served overseas in Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan, and his assignments include the 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division; and 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (AA).
"It's an honor to be a part of this extraordinary installation, and I'm humbled to be standing here as your garrison command sergeant major, a title I do not take lightly," Alfaro said.
Laske thanked his outgoing senior enlisted adviser, Command Sgt. Maj. Kristopher Cook, for his tireless dedication to the Fort Drum community and wished him well upon his retirement from service.
He credited Cook for strengthening the Fort Drum Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program and the numerous visits to the barracks, dining facilities and youth programs to ensure Soldiers and community members had the support and services they needed.
"I could go on and on about what he has done for this community, but I think folks know that if I put Command Sgt. Maj. Cook on a problem, it would get solved quickly," Laske said.
Cook said that although there are hundreds of people he would thank by name, it would be wiser to extend appreciation to the entire Fort Drum team working for the greater good. He said that while organizations and programs have often been singled out and awarded, it's a team effort that makes Fort Drum an Army Community of Excellence.
"The pride, commitment, passion and care they put into the community each and every day is nothing short of remarkable," Cook said. "Fort Drum and the North Country is what 'right' looks like. It has been my honor and sincere privilege to serve you as your command sergeant major."
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