JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (June 15, 2022) -- Members of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command’s 419th Contracting Support Brigade welcomed their new command sergeant major and said goodbye to their former enlisted leader during a change of responsibility and retirement ceremony June 14 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Command Sgt. Maj. Nicholas Tollett took responsibility of the brigade from Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Higgs during the ceremony officiated by Col. Jim Craig, the 419th CSB commander, before a gathering of family members, installation leaders and members of the community.
“The success of any command relies upon leaders with impeccable integrity, true compassion for others, a fierce determination and unquestionable professionalism to lead with wisdom and empathy. These characteristics are what you will find in Command Sergeant Major Nick Tollett,” Craig said. “I am very excited to have Command Sergeant Major Tollett join our headquarters as my battle buddy. Command Sergeant Major Tollett’s experience with leadership and personnel development is highly valuable as the link between acquisitions and our mission partners at the tactical and operational level.”
Prior to this assignment, Tollett served as the battalion sergeant major with the 922nd Contracting Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
“It’s with great pride and honor that I assume responsibility of such a distinguished command,” Tollett said. “I started my contracting journey in the 419th CSB, and I am ecstatic to be back.”
He cited the organization’s contributions in continuously providing expert contracting support to 18th Airborne Corps and garrisons at multiple locations. He also commended the brigade’s support to Operation Allies Welcome following more than 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan as well as ongoing operations in Europe and the U.S. Central Command throughout the world.
“This is a relatively small, (but) very impactful organization with a no fail mission,” the new command sergeant major said.
Tollett, a native of Portales, New Mexico, enlisted in the Army in August 2003 as a Multiple Launch Rocket System Crewmember. In 2013, he became a member of the Army acquisition community after completing the Mission Ready Airman Contracting Course at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
His previous contracting assignments include NCO in charge of brigade operations for the 409th CSB at Kaiserslautern, Germany; team NCO in charge with the 626th Contracting Team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and team NCO in charge with the 636th CT at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
He has deployed numerous times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
“Everywhere he has gone, Command Sergeant Major Tollett has left a legacy of a disciplined and focused force, and those traits are crucial as 419th Soldiers and civilians represent one of the Army’s most highly trained organizations, helping to sustain America’s contingency corps, the U.S. Army Reserve, (U.S. Forces Command) headquarters and U.S. Special Operations Command,” Craig said.
Tollett holds a bachelor’s degree from American Military University and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Procurement and Acquisition Management from Webster University. He is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III certified in contracting. Tollett has also earned certified federal contracting manager designation from the National Contracting Management Association and served as a warranted contracting officer.
The change of responsibility ceremony included the passing of the brigade colors, which symbolize the heritage and history of the organization as well as unity and loyalty of its Soldiers. As the new brigade command sergeant major, Tollett is the keeper of the colors.
The brigade also bid farewell to Higgs who retired from the Army after 28 years of service.
“Our motto at the 419th is ‘Contracting from Above,’” Craig said during the retirement portion of the ceremony. “Command Sergeant Major Higgs’ numerous accomplishments over the last 28 years of exceptional service will no doubt leave an enduring legacy and impact for years to come.”
The brigade is made up of more than 400 military and civilian personnel, four battalions and seven installation-level contracting offices. Those include the 900th CBN at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; 904th CBN at Fort Stewart, Georgia; 922nd CBN at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; 925th CBN at Fort Drum, New York; MICC-Fort Jackson, South Carolina; MICC-Fort McCoy, Wisconsin; and MICC-Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. In addition, MICC personnel assigned to Moffett Field, California, are aligned subordinate to the MICC-Fort McCoy contracting office.
About the MICC
Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,300 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.
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