Fort McCoy Garrison welcomes new CSM during ceremony

Photo By Scott Sturkol | Command Sgt. Maj. Raquel DiDomenico, new Fort McCoy Garrison command sergeant major, passes the garrison flag back to 1st Sgt. Lauren Phillips, garrison first sergeant, July 1, 2021, during a change of responsibility ceremony at Fort McCoy, Wis. DiDomenico replaced Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Mantha as the garrison command sergeant major during the ceremony. She has previously served at Fort McCoy at the Fort McCoy Noncommissioned Officer Academy. A command sergeant major (CSM) is the most senior enlisted member of a color-bearing Army unit. The CSM is appointed to serve as a spokesman to address the issues of all soldiers, from enlisted to officers, from warrant officers and lieutenants to the Army's highest positions. As such, they are the senior enlisted advisor to the commander. The exact duties vary depending on the unit commander, including observing training and talking with Soldiers and their families. (Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

07.09.2021

Courtesy Story

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss presented the Fort McCoy Garrison flag to Command Sgt. Maj. Raquel DiDomenico as she became the new Fort McCoy command sergeant major (CSM) on July 1 during a change of responsibility ceremony at Fort McCoy.

DiDomenico previously served at Fort McCoy at the Fort McCoy Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Academy.

According to history, a CSM is the most senior enlisted member of a color-bearing Army unit. The CSM is appointed to serve as a spokesman to address the issues of all soldiers, from enlisted to officers, from warrant officers and lieutenants to the Army’s highest positions. As such, they are the senior enlisted adviser to the commander. The exact duties vary depending on the unit commander, including observing training and talking with Soldiers and their families.

Immediately prior to this assignment, she served as the senior enlisted adviser to the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Deputy commanding general — Army Reserve at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

DiDomenico earned a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security from the University of Management & Technology, Arlington, Va. Her military education includes Distributed Learning Course (DLC) Level 6, Sergeants Major Course, Joint Engineer Operations Course, foundation training developer, intermediate facilitation skills, foundation instructor facilitator, Army Training Requirements and Resource System operator, Faculty Development Program, Master Leader Course, Master Resilience trainer, Operations Security Level 2, Casualty Assistance & Notification, Structured Self Development Level 4 (12B Senior Leader Course), 12C Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course (BNCOC), Common Core BNCOC, Primary Leadership Development Course, Battle Staff, Company Trainer Course, Reserve Component Mobilization Planner, Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Certifying Official, Voting Assistance Officer, mail manager, Combat Lifesaver, and more.

 DiDomenico’s previous assignments also include U.S. Army Engineer School deputy assistant commandant — reserve component sergeant major; Battle Staff instructor and operations NCO in charge at the Fort McCoy NCO Academy; first sergeant for the 374th Sapper Company; and operations sergeant for the 389th Engineer Battalion, 401st Engineer Company, and 652nd Engineer Company. 

 She deployed with the 401st Engineer Company to Iraq in 2009, and she also mobilized with Alpha Company Medical Hold as a platoon sergeant and Departures NCO at Fort McCoy in 2004.

DiDomenico’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal (fifth award), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 20-year and M devices, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 5, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the Bronze de Fleury Medal, and the Senior Leader Course Commandant’s Award.

DiDomenico’s professional affiliations also include Lifetime Memberships with Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 5789, Society of American Military Engineers, and Army Engineer Association. She also served as the president for two years and secretary for one year with the Fort Leonard Wood Sergeants Major Association. 

At the ceremony, DiDomenico said she is proud to be the new Fort McCoy Garrison CSM.

“I am excited for this opportunity and appreciate all those in attendance today,” DiDomenico said. “I plan on not only upholding standards and discipline, but also provide insight and advice. … We will continue to provide exceptional service to individuals and units as they utilize our Total Force Training Center.”

Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.

The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.

Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.” Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” as your preferred base.

(Article prepared by the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office.)

• Date Taken: 07.09.2021
• Date Posted: 07.09.2021 12:18
• Story ID: 400624
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US