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DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. – The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) community celebrated an outgoing command sergeant major and welcomed her successor during an April 2 Change of Responsibility ceremony at the Detroit Arsenal.
Command Sgt. Maj. Kendra St Helen relinquished her responsibilities to Command Sgt. Maj. Kofie Primus after holding the position for nearly three years.
“Serving here has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” St Helen said, speaking from a podium with Primus and Maj. Gen. Michael B. Lalor, TACOM commanding general, seated by her side.
“These years have brought excitement, challenges and triumphs, but through it all, I have been continually amazed by the dedication and resiliency of TACOM Soldiers and Civilians. You are the heart of this mission, and it has been truly a privilege to call you my teammates.”
Lalor officiated the ceremony, held on a rainy spring morning and rich with Army traditions such as the passing of colors. Attendees included family members of St Helen and Primus, Warren Mayor Lori Stone, Tammy Carnrike, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army-Michigan, and representatives of several regional and federal legislative leaders.
Lalor praised St Helen’s steady leadership and expressed deep gratitude for her service and friendship. He said he is excited to welcome and work alongside Primus.
“I do know from the day she arrived here three summers ago, in August of 2022, Command Sgt. Maj. St Helen has made TACOM a more ready team,” Lalor said. “She develops Soldiers, officers, commanders and our Civilian workforce, and she has left an indelible mark on a generation of future leaders and logisticians that will come from this organization and serve our Army in the years ahead, including me.”
Lalor said St Helen ensured TACOM was always postured to accomplish its worldwide mission, even when its depots and arsenals faced unprecedented demand due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
St Helen drove important transformations, he stated, leading the reorganization of TACOM positions and structures. She also played a key role in an initiative to modernize the Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment management system.
Lalor lauded St Helen for spearheading – and succeeding in – efforts to raise awareness of TACOM in the broader community and reenergize team spirit within the organization.
“Command Sgt. St Helen is competent without parallel, she is standards-based and no nonsense, and more importantly, she connects with Soldiers and our Civilian workforce,” Lalor said. “They see that she truly cares for them, and she gets it.”
In her remarks, St Helen thanked her family members, mentors and other people who have shaped her journey. She gave Lalor a special shout-out, calling him an “all around great leader and battle buddy.”
St Helen said she viewed every travel engagement during her tenure as an opportunity to tell people about TACOM’s key role in developing, acquiring, fielding and sustaining Soldier and ground systems, ensuring warfighter capabilities and enhanced readiness.
“To the remarkable individuals of Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, thank you for your unwavering support and dedication,” she said. “It has been an absolute honor to work with such talented and committed professionals. Your professionalism, hard work and passion for our shared mission have been genuinely inspiring.”
Lalor presented St. Helen with a framed print of TACOM headquarters and collection of coins from leaders throughout the command. A formal celebration of her career is planned for June.
When Primus stepped to the podium, he said he is honored to serve as TACOM’s 24th command sergeant major.
“I’m truly humbled by this opportunity, and I take this responsibility with a profound sense of duty,” he said, “fully aware of the trust and expectations placed upon me.
“I look forward to serving you as your command sergeant major, and I pledge to you to serve you with integrity, to listen to you, respect you, advocate for you, and to stand beside you, both as a leader and a teammate.”
In his earlier remarks, Lalor said Primus brings a wealth of tactical and operational experience as a maintainer, warfighter and logistician to the TACOM team. He most recently served as the command sergeant major of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command at Panzer Kaserne, Germany.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Primus is motivated, ready to go,” Lalor said, “and I look forward to all that we will accomplish as a team, with an exciting and rewarding run that we have ahead of us here.
“That run – our run – starts right now.”
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