JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Regional Health Command-Pacific welcomed a new command sergeant major during its Assumption of Responsibility and Uncasing of the Colors Ceremony July 6 at French Theater, JBLM.

More than 100 family members, friends and community partners filled the seats of the theater to witness Command Sgt. Maj. Clark J. Charpentier take hold of the region's colors and to welcome him as RHC-P's newest senior enlisted advisor to the commanding general, Brig. Gen. Dennis P. LeMaster.

LeMaster, who assumed command of RHC-P June 20, served as the reviewing officer for the ceremony.

"Of all the command sergeants major in the entire population, there's no one I'd rather serve with than you, Command Sergeant Major," LeMaster said. "You will be a trusted advisor and great asset, role model and leader here to this region."

Charpentier said he appreciated the commanding general's confidence in his ability to assist the command.

"I look forward to the future as we work together to ensure that our nation's most precious resource is taken care of -- our warriors, their families, our beneficiaries -- that is truly what we are here for," Charpentier said.

Like that of the U.S. Army, readiness will continue to be the region's top priority, Charpentier said.

"To the entire team of RHC-P, I am honored to be part of what you do each and every day to ensure our Soldiers' readiness," he said. "Our focal point as a regional health command should be the absolute best health care that we can provide to those that we are privileged to serve. We, as a regional health command, are privileged to serve the remainder of our force to ensure that they are ready to engage."

Charpentier previously served as the command sergeant major for Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landsthul, Germany. The region's previous command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Richard F. Watson, departed the region in May.

Incorporated into the ceremony was the official uncasing of RHC-P's unit colors -- the colors were cased during a ceremony on June 20 to signify the relocation of the RHC-P commanding general and command sergeant major positions from Hawaii to JBLM. As one team in two locations, a deputy commanding general will be located in Hawaii, and RHC-P will continue to maintain staff at both locations.

"You've already proven yourself to be change agents, adaptable and resilient," LeMaster said. "This team here, as well as the team in Hawaii, are one team that has successfully navigated numerous transformations … I'm confident we're going to learn a lot together and accomplish any task put before us, as long as we keep readiness at the forefront of our formation."

This repositioning of the command team from Hawaii to JBLM retains regional Army Service Component Command and Corps alignment and supports the essential hub at JBLM for strategic evacuation. This alignment is essential in support of medical readiness, and ensuring the provision of responsive medical capabilities to U.S. Army Pacific and I Corps, LeMaster explained.

"The Pacific region is the Army's largest geographic region, and we're strategically positioned to provide superb care to our beneficiaries and to enable readiness of our individual soldiers as well as our total medical force. And we're going to continue to do this here at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Hawaii," LeMaster said.

Regional Health Command-Pacific has responsibility for all health care and medical readiness related services in Hawaii, Washington state, Alaska, Japan, Korea and throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The region's operational space spans across 36 countries that make up 17 percent of the world's land mass and contains 60 percent of the world's population.

Its mission is to provide combatant commander with medically ready forces and ready medical forces, conducting health service support in all phases of military operation and global health engagements throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.