Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Freese | Sgt. Maj. Juan Hidalgo, Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad and Command Sgt. Maj. David Carr prepare...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – A new chapter in Joint Task Force Guantanamo leadership history began, April 16, when Marine Sgt. Maj. Juan Hidalgo Jr. relinquished responsibility as the JTF GTMO senior enlisted leader to his successor, Army Command Sgt. Maj. David Carr.
“There is a common misperception in the Department of Defense, I think ...” said Navy Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, JTF commander. “You talk about replacing a great leader and you know ... as I started to interview folks, I came to a realization that first of all, you don’t replace a leadership giant like Sgt. Maj. Juan Hidalgo. What I looked to do was to find somebody that had similar values, who had similar passion and a similar drive to lead.”
With interviews underway, Cozad was only on his second one when he found the person who he believed was the right fit to become the SEL for JTF GTMO.
“As I [looked] through the notes I took for his interview, I wrote at the very top after about three minutes, ‘This is the guy,’” Cozad said.
Carr, previously the Garrison command sergeant major at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, accepted the position and will hold it for the next 12 months. He feels extraordinarily honored to be the SEL here.
“From this point forward I vow to do everything in my power to accomplish our mission, to take care of every enlisted member, every officer, every civilian and every family member,” Carr said.
But his gratitude doesn’t stop there; Carr was appreciative of what Hidalgo has done for this task force.
“I want to publicly thank Sgt. Maj. Hidalgo for 31 great years of service to this awesome nation; secondly, I want to thank [him] for 24 months of tireless dedication to this task force and finally for setting me up for success and our seamless transition,” Carr said.
A leader’s job is never done, and from the moment Hidalgo stepped off the plane here, he has done nothing but devote the last 24 months to not only the mission but the people who make this mission possible.
“He is the quintessential motivator to the community. I know each one of you recognize the great things he’s done for the task force, what he’s done for the community itself at large and what he’s done for the families. He’s gone to bat. He’s stuck up for people, and he is, I’ll say this literally and not figuratively, a leadership giant,” Cozad said.
Hidalgo couldn’t have been more appreciative of the opportunity that he was given to serve here. He said his service has been nothing but a blessing, and he can’t thank the service members enough for all that they do.
“I tell these Warriors to keep doing what they’re doing and have faith. They’re doing a magnificent job. America may not know the whole story, but their story is getting out there. They know, regardless, that they’re proud of them. They need to know that we’re proud of them. I’m proud to have served as their SEL,” Hidalgo said.
After two years of service with the task force, Hidalgo was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal.
Cozad’s parting words to his friend and colleague, “So today, we don’t say goodbye, we bid you farewell.”
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2015 10:36 |
| Story ID: | 161121 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Hometown: | FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Hometown: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 234 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Hail & Farewell to our SEL, by SGT Amber Bohlman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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