FORT KNOX, Ky. — The Fort Knox Garrison welcomed a new senior enlisted leader during a Change of Responsibility Ceremony at Waybur Theater Feb. 28.
During the ceremony, outgoing Fort Knox Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Sherman Waters, Jr. passed the Garrison colors to Command Sgt. Maj. Alex Licea, signifying the transfer of responsibility.
Garrison Commander Col. Chris Ricci shared his appreciation for Waters’ time as his battle buddy over the past two years as well as his well wishes for the Waters family following their retirement from military service.
“Thank you so much for your wise council and working aggressively hard to make sure Fort Knox is the best place to live on, work on and deploy from in the U.S. Army,” Ricci said to Waters in his remarks. “Thanks for being my battle buddy.”
Ricci then turned to Licea to welcome him and offer advice for his new mission.
“You’ve got some big shoes to fill, but I am confident that you are up to the task,” said Ricci. “The only piece of advice I have for you is to lead our Soldiers, civilians and Families like you’d want to be led.”
Following remarks from Ricci, Waters took to the podium to express his gratitude for and pride in the Fort Knox team and thank those who supported him along his over 30-year career.
“As I prepare to transition as your Garrison sergeant major I am overwhelmed with a mix of emotions,” said Waters. “Looking back at my time here I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude, pride and I am truly humbled. As I conclude my time here, I have complete confidence in the future of [the Fort Knox] Garrison.”
As Waters concluded his remarks, he turned to the new CSM to express his confidence in Licea’s leadership.
“I am confident that you will lead with honor, integrity and a steadfast commitment to the wellbeing of our Soldiers, their Families and our civilian professionals,” said Waters.
Licea said that he is excited to be back at Fort Knox, where he completed basic training and participated in the Commander’s Assessment program twice, as part of the command team.
“I just can't wait to just take this position, run with it and really be a part of this amazing community,” said Licea. “Right off the bat, everyone's been so welcoming in the two weeks that I've been here, and I just couldn't have asked for a better kind of transition.”
Licea, originally from south Florida, enlisted in the Army in July 2002 as a public affairs specialist and is stepping into this new role following his time as the as the Command Sergeant Major for the 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Licea said that in addition to maintaining the installation standard of excellence, one of his focuses is on quality of life.
“We're one of the best installations I believe in the Army, and I want to keep that going,” said Licea. “If people love to live here, then they can focus on the mission that the nation has asked them to do. Whether it's lethality, force projection, platform readiness training, making sure people have the best quality of life is what we're here to do as a garrison.”
Licea said that whether he is out and about in the community asking questions or just “in listening mode” he is determined to learn about, advocate for and encourage the Fort Knox community over the next few years.
“We strive for installation excellence here, and I believe that comes from the hard work of everybody that works on the installation,” said Licea. “People are super dedicated here, and that's going to continue with me, I'm going to work every day as hard as I can to give them my best.”
Following his relinquishing of responsibility, Waters will also retire from the service and he and his wife plan to remain in Vine Grove, Kentucky.
Visit Fort Knox News at www.army.mil/knox for all of Central Kentucky's latest military news and information.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2025 14:55 |
| Story ID: | 491782 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, US |
| Hometown: | MIRAMAR, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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