Photo By Eric Bartelt | The 26th U.S. Corps of Cadets command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Craven,...... read more read more
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Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Craven extended greetings and salutations to staff and faculty at Crest Hall as he assumed his new position as the 26th command sergeant major of the U.S. Corps of Cadets during an assumption of responsibility ceremony on Friday at the U.S. Military Academy.
The USCC command sergeant major offers valuable counsel and expertise in the day-to-day operations of the academy. He or she provides guidance, leadership and development to the Soldiers, cadets, noncommissioned officers and officers at the academy.
“When I read the mission statement of West Point, to educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be leaders of character, to operate with professional excellence, and to live the values of duty, honor and country, it motivated me,” Craven said. “Because you don’t have to be a graduate of this hallowed institution to understand what duty, honor, country really means.”
On a related note, after serving as the commandant for the U.S. Corps of Cadets for nearly eight months, Brig. Gen Mark Quander witnessed firsthand how fundamental and critical NCOs are to accomplishing the academy’s mission objectives.
Consequently, after sifting through the details of a military career spanning 27 years, Quander felt Craven was the exemplary leader for the job.
“He’s a master of synchronizing efforts across the battlefield in a variety of fields and disciplines,” Quander said as he highlighted Craven’s roles throughout his career. “He has expertise and experience ranging from a team chief, to a DIVARTY (3rd Infantry Division Artillery) command sergeant major and serving multiple combat deployments.”
Craven also served as a command sergeant major with the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington. There, he assisted and advised multiple foreign partners and leaders to support the nation’s strategic objectives.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Craven is a scholar, a warrior and a leader developer. He’s got a master’s degree in management, he’s got a master’s degree in warfighting, and he’s got a master’s degree in leader development,” Quander said. “I can’t think of a better counterpart to come in here and educate and train our cadets than someone with your experience and bonafides.”
Despite his decorated experience, Craven said he remains grounded through humility and evokes his religious faith to express how delighted and appreciative he is in his new role.
“I’ve been tasked with a lot of responsibility, I’m entitled to nothing, and I feel obligated to give back,” Craven said. “I feel obligated to serve now more than ever. I understand that words mean nothing without action, and you can go a long way with faith. Hard work and ethics will help you accomplish goals that seemed utterly impossible.”
Over 30 years ago, Craven dropped out of high school during his sophomore year and eventually sought the Army as a means to motivate himself and reform his life, he said.
“How do you inspire men and women of character and competence? It won’t come from a book — I’ll be honest with you. The commandant said I have a master’s degree, and I thank God, but the truth is I started with the GED from (southwest) Louisiana,” Craven said. “My path in life wasn’t always straight. I took the long road to where God would have me stand in front of you today, and I acknowledged that every day.”
Craven added the inspiration he receives comes from his faith and all the men and women who surround him on a daily basis.
“My inspiration, my brothers and sisters, is not man-made. I will say that as a man and as a Soldier. One of the hardest and the most daunting tasks that we could ever do is to stand before America’s sons and daughters and try to motivate and inspire them to accomplish a mission when all indications should point to us turning the other way, but such is the extraordinary thing of being a Soldier, and this is what we are called to do in our profession,” Craven concluded. “I thank God, sir, that you’ve accepted me for this position, and I’m honored to be here and know that every day when I wake up in the morning, my inspiration comes from the men and women who stare back at me.”
| Date Taken: | 01.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 01.21.2022 10:24 |
| Story ID: | 413205 |
| Location: | WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 168 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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