Courtesy Photo | Outgoing command Sgt. Maj. Gerald L. Miller retired from the North Dakota National...... read more read more
BISMARCK, N.D. — An Iraqi war veteran and an experienced member of the North Dakota National Guard for more than 30 years assumed the duties of the North Dakota Army National Guard’s state command sergeant major today during a change of responsibility ceremony, March 11, at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory.
As the top enlisted soldier in the North Dakota National Guard, Command Sgt. Maj. Harley J. Schwind Jr. joins Col. David Anderson, the land component commander, in helping lead the 3,400 soldiers of the North Dakota Army National Guard.
“Command Sgt. Major Schwind brings a rich array of experience and sound judgment to this key leadership position and is an excellent choice to succeed Command Sgt. Maj. Miller.” said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general.
He replaced the outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald L. Miller, who has served in the position since 2009. Miller also retired from the NDNG as he stepped down from his position as the lead enlisted soldier at the change of responsibility ceremony. Miller served in the position for more than three years.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Miller is known for his laughter, personality and the ability to relate to soldiers on an individual level. He will be missed and remembered for the skills he brought to this position,” said Sprynczynatyk. “Now Command Sgt. Major Schwind is in a key position to continue to mentor and train our soldiers as we support our state and federal missions.”
Schwind is a native of LaMoure, N.D., and enlisted in 1981 as a combat engineer in the North Dakota National Guard. His first assignment was with Company D, 141st Engineer Battalion (Corps Wheeled). After serving in this unit for 12 years in various key leadership positions culminating as squad leader, he transferred to the North Dakota Military Academy and Engineer School at Camp Grafton, Devils Lake, N.D., in 1993, serving as an instructor, course manager and branch chief.
From 2001-2004, Schwind was assigned as the operations sergeant for the Engineer Brigade, 34th Infantry Division. In 2004, Schwind assumed duties as the command sergeant major for the 164th Engineer Battalion. He served overseas with this unit in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2007 until 2008.
“I am humbled to be able to step into the lead enlisted position and use the experience I have attained throughout the last 30 years in the military to continue to move this organization forward,” said Schwind. “We have an outstanding group of soldiers that I am confident will build upon the strengths we have as an organization to continue our standard of excellence.”
As Miller stepped down from his position, he said, “I have been extremely proud to serve alongside the soldiers of this organization. Each of them is skilled and I respect the role they have played in making this organization successful. I know that Command Sgt. Maj. Schwind is the right person to lead this great group of soldiers into the future.”
A native of Oakes, N.D., Miller enlisted in the North Dakota Army National Guard in 1979 serving in key leadership positions with the 141st and 142nd Engineer Combat Battalions. From January 2003 until May 2004, Miller was deployed to Iraq serving as the first sergeant for Headquarters and Service Company, 142nd Engineer Combat Battalion. In 2004, he was appointed as the commandant of the Devils Lake, N.D., based 164th Regional Training Institute, a position held until he was appointed to the position of state command sergeant major in 2009.
Though Miller officially retires as part of this event, his awards will be presented during a “roast” and retirement ceremony that will be held in his honor, April 13, at the AMVETS Club Post in Bismarck.
Miller resides in Bismarck and is married to the former Linda Drangsholt of Antler, N.D, and has two sons. Schwind is married to North Dakota Army Guardsman 1st Sgt. Darcy (Olson) Schwind, of Oriska, N.D. They reside in Mandan, N.D., with their three children.
The change of responsibility ceremony is a time honored tradition. The change of responsibility ceremony is an important military ritual which formally and visually demonstrates the transfer of duties, responsibilities and authority between incoming and outgoing command sergeants major. The command sergeant major is the senior-most sergeant or “non-commissioned officer” in their unit and is responsible to their commander for the enforcement of policies and standards of performance, training, appearance, conduct, health, morale and welfare of their assigned soldiers.
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2012 18:00 |
| Story ID: | 85070 |
| Location: | BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 222 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Guard’s new top enlisted soldier takes lead as state command sergeant major, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
