SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The 25th Infantry Division Artillery (DIVARTY) Command Sgt. Maj Paul Fluharty relinquished responsibility of the “Tropic Thunder” artillery brigade to Command Sgt. Maj Kevin Vanliew during a change of responsibility ceremony at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Feb. 10.
Fluharty has been in the position since the Fall of 2020, leading the “Tropic Thunder” 25th DIVARTY through a busy training schedule that included multiple Combined-Training-Center rotations, like the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana and the Joint Pacific Mission Readiness Center on the islands of Oahu and Hawai’i, in addition to various Pacific Pathways missions such as Yama Sakura in Japan and Garuda Shield in Indonesia.
Col. Joseph Katz, 25th DIVARTY Commander started off the ceremony by recognizing Fluharty for all of his hard work and for the influence and impact he had on the brigade.
“During his time with us, Sergeant Major Fluharty served with the energy of 10,000 burning suns. He brought a much needed passion for soldiering and an invigorating attitude”. Katz went on to explain how he admires Fluharty for his willingness to always put himself through whatever his soldiers are enduring. “He is a leader that doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. Step for step, they (the soldiers) saw their Sergeant Major towing the line with them” said Katz. He finished by saying “I always appreciated what you did for the team, and selfishly I’ve always appreciated your friendship”.
Next, Fluharty took to the podium to spend time reflecting upon the connections he made during his command, “I’d like to thank my friends and family for your loving support over the past three years”. He then went on to laud his brigade for their unique and diverse structure, lamenting how it is an organization made up of so many unique units such as the Lightning Academy and Replacement Company in addition to the artillery battalions. “This formation is so much more than what the narrator makes it out to be”, said Fluharty. Confident in the warfighting abilities of his troops, he went on to say “this formation and this formation alone can defeat any enemy in the world”.
Fluharty has been known during his time in this position for his efforts to champion the ideology of “tough and realistic training”. He revealed to the formation and his guests that upon taking the seat in 2020 and reviewing the brigade’s annual training guidance, he quickly realized there was a need for a “culture shift” in the 25th DIVARTY organization to match the intensity of the maneuver brigades which the 25th DIVARTY supports, giving birth to his “train like you fight” attitude and initiative. Fluharty is now off to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he will serve as the next Command Sergeant Major of the Field Artillery.
Finally, incoming Command Sgt. Maj Kevin Vanliew approached the podium to close out the ceremony and express his excitement and appreciation for the new position. “Colonel Katz, I look forward to working with you and the team and to see where we go from here” said Vanliew. He later went on to say, “I also look forward to shooting some rounds and getting after this”.
Vanliew’s tenure will with no doubt be an eventful one, with plans already in place for multiple JPMRC and Pacific Pathways rotations. His leadership of the organization will surely make a resounding impact across the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility for years to come.
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