Kirkpatrick assumes responsibility for 925th Contracting Battalion

By Staff Sgt. Kyle Dugaue, 925th Contracting BattalionJuly 26, 2024

Kirkpatrick assumes responsibility for 925th Contracting Battalion
Sgt. Maj. Eric Kirkpatrick, left, prepares to receive the colors from Lt. Col. Desiree Dirige, signifying his assumption of responsibility of the 925th Contracting Battalion to its mission partners during a change of assumption of responsibility ceremony July 24 at Fort Drum, New York. Dirige is the 925th CBN commander and Kirkpatrick is now the battalion’s sergeant major. (Photo Credit: Capt. Nataly Johnson) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT DRUM, New York (July 26, 2024) – Members of the 925th Contracting Battalion held an assumption of responsibility ceremony July 24 at Fort Drum, New York.

Sgt. Maj. Eric Kirkpatrick officially assumed his duties by receiving the command’s colors from Lt. Col. Desiree Dirige, the battalion commander. The colors symbolize the sergeant major's authority and his responsibility to the organization.

"Today is a fantastic day in the North Country as we welcome Sgt. Maj. Kirkpatrick and his family to the 925th Contracting Battalion and MICC-Fort Drum," Dirige said.

Dirige also expressed gratitude to Master Sgt. David Timmons, who served as the acting sergeant major for the past year.

"You have performed above and beyond, and we are all grateful for your dedication and support to our soldiers and civilians," she said.

Dirige was pleased to introduce Kirkpatrick. "He is well-known for his expertise throughout the 51C community, and I have no doubt that he will continue to uphold the lineage of ensuring the 925th CBN is among the best contracting battalions in the Army."

Kirkpatrick reclassified to MOS 51C in February 2012. His assignments as a 51C include NCOIC at ODASA-P Force Modernization Proponent at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia; Contracting NCO at the 628th Contracting Team in Warren, Michigan; Team NCOIC at the 742nd and 716th Contracting Teams at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, respectively; NCOIC at the Regional Contracting Office – Soto Cano at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras; Brigade Operations NCOIC at the 418th CSB at Fort Cavazos, Texas; and Operations NCOIC at Army Contracting Command-Afghanistan. In these roles, he has served as a contract specialist, procuring contracting officer, administrative contracting officer, quality assurance NCO, and procurement analyst.

"I am honored to be appointed as the sergeant major of the 925th CBN and MICC-Fort Drum," Kirkpatrick said. "Every interaction I’ve had with members of this organization has been positive and left a lasting impression, which is why the 925th CBN was my top choice."

"I look forward to my time serving in the 925th CBN and MICC-Drum and am excited to work with and learn from everyone here. Being a senior leader in such a high-performing organization is a role I do not take lightly, and I promise to strive every day to be the sergeant major you deserve," he added.

About the MICC

Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 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.