Photo By Sgt. Sarah Kirby | U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes, the Tennessee Adjutant General, presents a...... read more read more
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NASHVILLE, T.N. — After 31 years of dedicated service to the Tennessee National Guard, Chief Master Sgt. Mark A. Harris, the state's Senior Enlisted Leader, retired and held a Transfer of Responsibility ceremony welcoming incoming SEL, Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth J. Simmons at Tennessee Joint Force Headquarters, Oct. 3.
During his three years as the state's SEL, Harris continuously prioritized Tennessee's Soldiers and Airmen’s interests and needs.
"I am so proud of the Soldiers and Airmen within this state and have seen so much improvement and advanced effort made," said Harris. "I have seen leadership stand up and take deliberation in developing our Soldiers and Airmen; our recruiting and retention components have improved tremendously, and we had more joint training between the Army and Air than any other time."
Harris dedicated a significant amount of time to Tennessee’s Support, Training, and Renewing Opportunity for the National Guard Act. The STRONG Act provides tuition-free educational opportunities for eligible members of the Tennessee National Guard.
A year after his appointment as the SEL, Harris was diagnosed cancer. "I enter a battle every day for my life," said Harris in a public service announcement style video in which he addressed his philosophy on resiliency.
"I've been battling cancer for the third time since August of 2018. Dealing with a stage-four diagnosis, it is untreatable and not curable to medical standards." In the video, Harris continues despite his circumstances and provides unwavering motivation to all. Consistently Soldiers and Airmen, in the video, make note of what a loving leader he is to them.
Harris received numerous awards and multiple tables full of unique gifts during his ceremony. One included a letter of appreciation for service to the United States of America’s Armed Forces, signed by President Donald Trump.
Harris passed the Noncommissioned Officer's Sword to Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth J. Simmons, who is no stranger to the volunteer state and its service members. Simmons's previous assignment was the state’s Chief Master Sgt. of the Tennessee Air National Guard.
"When I look across our forces, I see Soldiers and Airmen, and I’ve always believed that diversity is a strength of the National Guard," said Simmons. "We have members of all walks of life with many different backgrounds, thoughts, and experiences; this sets us apart and makes us powerful. You are the guardian of freedom and justice, the Nation’s sword and shield; you are an American Soldier, and you are an American Airmen."
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2020 10:47 |
| Story ID: | 380218 |
| Location: | NASHVILLE, TN, US |
| Web Views: | 273 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Tennessee’s Senior Enlisted Leader Transfers Responsibility, by SGT Sarah Kirby, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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