28 ID welcomes new commander, CSM

Photo By Master Sgt. Doug Roles | Brig. Gen. Andrew Schafer (second from left) presents the U.S. Army NCO Sword to Command Sgt. Maj. John Jones during a 28th Infantry Division change-of-responsibility ceremony held April 22 at Fort Indiantown Gap.  

HARRISBURG, PA, UNITED STATES

04.22.2017

Story by Staff Sgt. Doug Roles 

28th Infantry Division

Soldiers of the 28th Infantry Division welcomed Brig. Gen. Andrew Schafer as the division’s 38th commander during an assumption-of-command ceremony April 22 at Fort Indiantown Gap. During a concurrent change of responsibility ceremony, Command Sgt. Maj. John Jones was welcomed as the division’s 12th command sergeant major.
Schafer and Jones have led the division for nearly a year. The division’s commitment to a number of training events over the past 12 months and its support to security for the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia did not allow for an earlier ceremony as outgoing division leaders Maj. Gen. John Gronski and Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Kepner moved to their next assignments – Gronski as deputy commander, U.S. Army-Europe, and Kepner as Army National Guard command sergeant major.
“Missions come first,” said Pennsylvania Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, who presented the division colors to Schafer.
“So, here we are almost a year later catching up with the ceremony,” Carrelli said. “Normally I would talk about what the expectations are and what the responsibilities of the commander and the sergeant major are, but they’ve already been in their roles for a year. I’m excited already about the direction that Brig. Gen. Schafer and Command Sgt. Maj. Jones have mapped out.”
Schafer told the audience that each of the division’s four brigades exceed 100 percent strength and said units are training for missions including an upcoming warfighter exercise, Homeland Response Force (HRF) preparedness evaluation and gunnery qualification.
Schafer added that elements of the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (2IBCT) just completed a rotation in the ongoing peacekeeping mission in Kosovo while the 110th Infantry has returned from a mission in Jordan where Keystone soldiers trained Jordanian army soldiers.
“We will continue to recruit, train and retain fit and resilient soldiers for our formations for our state and federal missions,” Schafer said.
He and Jones thanked Gronski for his dedication to the division. Duty requirements kept Gronski from attending.
“Maj. Gen. Gronski was very focused and passionate in everything he did, from training, to readiness to mentoring young soldiers,” Schafer said.
Jones said he was thankful for the opportunity to serve as the division’s sergeant major. He said the division must work as a team to meet requirements.
“No one soldier can do it alone,” he said, adding that the Iron Division has completed its missions in the past and will be prepared for future challenges.
Jones also thanked his wife, Christine, for her support through the years and wished Kepner continued success in his new role.
“I’m truly honored to serve as the 28th Infantry Division command sergeant major. I look forward to working with all of you to move this division forward,” he said.
Kepner said the division is different today than it was when he started 27 years ago. He said when 9-11 happened and division elements began deploying, units “had to be right.” He said soldiers started having extended drills and three-week annual training events because readiness required more than the traditional two weeks a year and one weekend a month.
“The vast majority of our soldiers, overwhelmingly, said I acknowledge why we have to do this and they stood up as a matter of duty and they did a great job.”
Kepner said the division’s soldiers have earned the right to leadership that can “see ahead to the next battlefield” to ensure that units are ready and will win.
Kepner thanked the division’s Gold Star families and the division’s officers and noncommissioned officers for their efforts and helping to shape him during his tenure. He gave a special thank you to the unit’s junior enlisted soldiers.
“If it weren’t for those soldiers being experts in their core competencies this machine we call ‘the division’ would grind to a halt,” he said.

• Date Taken: 04.22.2017
• Date Posted: 04.23.2017 15:21
• Story ID: 231262
• Location: HARRISBURG, PA, US