Photo By Sgt. Jack Adamyk | Captain Kendall Ignatz, Headquarters Company outgoing commanding officer, poses for a...... read more read more
Captain Kendall Ignatz, Headquarters Company commanding officer and deputy Public Works officer, will pass the reins of command to Maj. Alfredo Romero, S-4 director, during a ceremony to be held aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., March 20.
“As HQ Co CO, I have been responsible for the administrative actions and training of all Marines assigned to HQ Co,” Ignatz said. “This also includes the medical and dental readiness and oversight of the Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard.”
As the DPWO, he has also been responsible for the internal actions of the Public Works Division. This includes day-to-day actions, managing data calls and taskers, human resources actions, submission of reports, awards and more.
Ignatz, originally from Ford City, Pennsylvania, and last served with 7th Engineer Support Battalion and arrived at MCLB Barstow in July 2015. From here, he will be reporting to Engineer Captain's Career Course in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he will be attending the six-month course.
“I will receive follow-on orders while I am at Engineer Captain's Career Course,” Ignatz said. “Then I will execute those orders in the fall of this year.”
His wife, Ashley, currently works for Marine Corps Community Services as the Family Team Building Trainer on base. Ignatz said that once they receive their orders this fall, she is hoping to continue working with MCCS at their new duty station. In the interim, she and their daughter, Allison (also known by Allie or Alliegator) who will turn 2 on April 30, and their fourth family member, a yellow Labrador Retriever named "Mauser," will be patiently awaiting orders.
“I had a successful time in command because of those around me,” Ignatz said. “I appreciate the trust and confidence that Col. Sekou Karega, base commanding officer, placed upon me over the past 1.5 plus years. The HQ Co Marines are among the finest in the Marine Corps; I am proud of them and how their individual and combined efforts transformed HQ Co into what it is today. I want to recognize First Sgt. Roselli and the rest of the HQ Co staff for their sustained hard work and consistently meeting my intent. Lastly, I want to thank my wife Ashley and my daughter Allison; Ashley was understanding when my HQ Co duties required me to work late or induced inconvenience and Allison always brings me joy.”
Major Romero will continue his role as S-4 director while assuming the HQ Co CO duties. In addition, he is the Desert Rat Grappling/Judo Club coach, and the Military Affairs Counsel liaison for the base. He has been at this base since August 2017. Prior to that, he was at the Air Command and Staff College, located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
“I’m originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico,” Romero said. “I’ve served in several locations with the Marine Corps, to include Okinawa, Camp Pendleton, Monterey, the Pentagon, and Lejeune.”
Although most of his roles have been within the logistics field, there has been some variety.
“Every job was unique,” he said. “I think my favorite tour was with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines and my second favorite tour was deploying on 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit with Combat Logistics Battalion 26. Each of them provided a distinctive experience for career and personal development.”
Romero went to Officer Candidate School in July 2000, attending the Platoon Leaders Course Juniors and Seniors, and was then commissioned Oct. 19, 2002. When he is not working, he is known to spend time training or spending quality time with his family. His wife, Leslie, is a stay at home mom taking care of their two children.
“The Marine Corps has been good to me and has provided me with a wealth of opportunity,” he explained. “I’ve been fortunate to receive three Masters Degrees, two from Naval Post Graduate School and one from Air Command and Staff College.”
Romero is all about leading by example.
“If we as leaders do not meet expectations or perform well then how can we expect junior Marines to follow us?” he asked. “As a Marine leader, I will never make Marines do something unless I’m willing to do it, it’s about leading by example.”
His motto is to always improve your fighting position. No matter what the circumstances are, always continue to make improvements. His can-do attitude permeates everything he does and is reflected in his expectations of Marines under his purview.
“I’m not going to tell you how to solve a problem,” Romero said. “Never come to me saying ‘we can’t do it’. Come to me with options on the table. There is always a way to do things. I’ve always been a firm believer in providing my commander with options to support priorities and requirements. The goal is to execute commander’s intent.”
This will be Romero’s third time as a company commander.
“Though this is my third time at company command, there is always something new to learn,” Romero said. “I’m a firm believer in being an active listener and hearing different points of view before making difficult decisions, but at the end of the day it’s about accomplishing the mission.”
“With regards to company command, most Marines don’t get very many opportunities for a company command because there is a limited window of space in which to do it,” he said. “So I highly recommend that any opportunity anyone gets to be a company CO, take it and embrace it because there is no greater opportunity than to lead Marines.”
In parting, Ignatz expressed his confidence in incoming Romero’s reign.
“Headquarters Company has come a long way over the past 1.5 years and I am confident that Maj. Romero will continue to advance the company,” Ignatz said. “I wish him the best.”
| Date Taken: | 03.22.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2018 14:00 |
| Story ID: | 270302 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CA, US |
| Hometown: | ALBUQUERQUE, NM, US |
| Hometown: | FORD CITY, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 125 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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