FORT EUSTIS, Va. -- The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command officially welcomed its top noncommissioned officer during a welcome and retreat ceremony at the TRADOC headquarters building Dec. 1.

Gen. Robert Cone, TRADOC commanding general, took the opportunity not only to welcome and introduce Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Dailey, but also to recognize his qualities and contributions to Soldiers, the Army and the nation.

"I went through an exhaustive search and looked hard at six candidates of the Army's best. …I had criteria, and hands down Command Sgt. Maj. Dailey was the best in all categories," said Cone.

The general also spoke about Dailey's credibility and credentials as a Soldier, his reputation as a combat leader, and his ability to be a dynamic role model -- all of which led Cone to select him as the top advisor.

"I'm very humbled by the fact that Gen. Cone has the trust and confidence in me to lead this great organization, which in my opinion is one of the most important positions for a senior noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Army," said Dailey during his remarks.

Dailey noted that TRADOC's task is to train and develop the nation's brightest young men and women from the time they join the Army until the time they retire.

"What we are training them to be is very important; we are training them to be our nation's credentials, because when the time comes - and it will - the better trained force will prevail. And we'll [TRADOC] be the ones who authenticate our nation's claim," said Dailey.

Dailey begins his post as TRADOC leads the complex re-design of the Army of 2020 during an era of constrained resources.

With less than a month on station, Dailey has chosen to keep his goal simple: to make the organization better every day, whether that means 'influencing one Soldier within this headquarters or changing an entire formation across TRADOC or the U.S. Army.'