Photo By Robert Timmons | Command Sgt. Maj. John A. Blyler II, 165th Infantry Brigade senior enlisted leader,...... read more read more
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In the Army there is no higher grade, and no greater honor, for an enlisted Soldier than command sergeant major except Sergeant Major of the Army.
On Feb. 3, Command Sgt. Maj. John A. Blyler II took the mantle of the senior enlisted advisor for the 165th Infantry Brigade from Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Guadarrama during a change of responsibility ceremony at Victory Field.
Col. Kent G. Solheim, brigade commander, said he didn’t think anyone could match Guadarrama’s intensity until he met Blyler.
“I didn’t think anyone could match Command Sgt. Maj. Guadarrama’s energy, but you might,” Solheim said.
He characterized the outgoing senior enlisted advisor as one who up until the last moment in office was checking on his drill sergeants “positively engaged” with the leadership making sure that “we were upholding the standards.”
“He always provides thoughtful, candid, sound and temperate advice,” he added. “He knows what to say and when to say it. He will encourage you. He will inspire you. He will lead you. He will care for you. By God, he’ll correct you when you need it.”
Solheim added he was looking “forward to working with (Blyler) and watching (Blyler) operationalize greatness.”
Blyler enlisted in the Army in 2001 as an infantryman and has multiple deployments with the 82nd Airborne Division to Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been assigned to the 6th Ranger Training Battalion and the 4th Infantry Division where he deployed twice to Iraq.
Solheim advised Blyler to “take care of your people at all costs. If you lead from the front; if you accept nothing less than the best ... If you hold the standard, and most importantly, you always live by principles … we will win.”
Blyler responded to Solheim shortly afterwards stating he looks “forward to your mentorship and working alongside you.”
He said to the staff, cadre and drill sergeants of the Lightning Brigade that he was “honored by this amazing opportunity to watch you develop trainees into Soldiers.” He advised them that if “you desire to be a great leader then display empathy to those who follow you; be conscious of the goal; and most importantly, believe in each other and care about what you do.”
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2023 09:29 |
| Story ID: | 438152 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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