Soldiers from Task Force Bayonet gathered last week at the Fort Jackson Officer's Club to welcome their new command sergeant major.
Command Sgt. Maj. James I. Hill Jr. assumed responsibility Oct. 13 from the outgoing new senior enlisted leader of the 193rd Infantry Brigade, Command Sgt. Maj. Vern Daley.
"Command Sgt. Maj. Vern Daley has led from the front since day one in everything he's done," Col. Michael Katona, commander of the 193rd Infantry Brigade, said of the outgoing leader. "He's incredibly smart, and accomplished leader who can always be counted on to complete the toughest missions."
Daley called his time with Task Force Bayonet a "privilege" that he was allowed to experience every day.
"Whether you're out at Omaha (Range) walking lanes with drill sergeants, or whether your just back at the foot print watching them go through (drill and ceremony), you can't help but every day to be impressed by the incredible things done on this post," Daley told the audience.
Hill enlisted in the Army in 1989, and completed infantry One Station Unit Training as an Anti-Armor Infantryman at Fort Benning, Georgia. During his 22 years of service, Hill has held all infantry
leadership positions from fire team leader to brigade command sergeant major, was a Joint Staff Observer/Trainer, senior drill sergeant, brigade operations sergeant, and a senior military instructor for the Reserve Officer Training Corps.
His previous deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom I, Operation Enduring Freedom VII, X, Multinational Forces and Observers (Egypt), and Kosovo. He is married to Nino Hill, and has three children.
"It is my distinct honor and privilege to be selected as the command sergeant major of the 193rd infantry brigade," Hill said. "I am truly humbled by the opportunity to continue to serve and lead Soldiers, and I will not take it lightly."
Hill said that the only thing Soldiers dislike more than participating in meetings or standing in formation is change.
"Change brings about fear and anxiety of the unknown, amongst other things," he said. "Standing before you here today, I'm fully aware that I represent that change."
It was his goal, he said, to quickly alleviate that anxiety.
"We turn civilians into Soldiers," Hill said. "Ultimately, that is our mission. Since my early grooming began 22 years ago ... it was instilled in me that the word 'Soldier' was not only a noun, it was more importantly, a verb. To 'Soldier,' you had to be physically fit, mentally tough, and morally straight. You are expected to know the standard, and always exceed it."
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