Photo By Maj. William Carraway | Command Sergeant Major Roy Marchert assumes responsibility as the senior enlisted...... read more read more
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The NCO sword gleams in the light of the hangar as it ceremoniously passes from one Guardsman to another. The words from the announcer ring true as they pass the sword, "The sword remains razor sharp."
A change of responsibility from one senior NCO to another is steeped in tradition and honor, but for Command Sergeant Major Roy F. Marchert, those are just not words to him but a foundation he has built a career on.
"I was 28 years old and had always had an interest in the military," said Marchert. "It meant the world to my father that all four of his children graduate from college. It meant a lot to my dad as he was a young fellow who had his 17th birthday while in the Marine Corps, so to see his four kids graduate college was huge to him."
Marchert had already graduated college and was six years into his education career when he felt there was something missing in his life. His wife, Diane, encouraged him to look into joining the service in a reserve capacity when a friend mentioned to him to look into the Georgia National Guard.
"As a transplant coming from Chicago, the thought of serving my state as I was setting roots down here in Georgia sounded like a pretty interesting deal," Marchert said.
In 1989 Marchert enlisted in the Georgia National Guard as a TOW Missile Infantryman with Alpha Company, 1-122 Infantry TOW, light, antitank as a traditional Guardsman.
Marchert has also been teaching since 1983. He started out as a special education teacher, then transitioned over about 20 years ago teaching US and Georgia history.
"That really fit into my military passions to teach what I love," said Marchert. "It allowed me to travel around to museums and battlefields. It was a natural fit to do that."
Marchert's pride in service and commitment hit a hurdle when he was coming to the end of his six-year enlistment and just became a sergeant when his first daughter, Beth, was born.
"My biggest hurdle was becoming a father," said Marchert. "Would I be able to do right by my children and to find that balance? We were able to make that happen."
"It instilled a real sense of pride in our daughters," Diane Marchert said. "It may have been a hurdle when you were away, but they knew what you were doing. They saw how you carried yourself when you put that uniform on, and it instilled a sense of pride in them."
Pride is an important word for Marchert. The pride he has for his troops shines every time he talks about them.
"I'll never forget this time when we were in Iraq, and we were making a trip in this big long convoy mission," said Marchert. "We were waiting to go, so I found this little quiet spot, leaned up against a jersey barrier to take a moment to think about Diane and the girls."
Marchert saw a group of young Soldiers playing hacky-sack, laughing and having a good time.
"Just watching these unbelievable young Soldiers, the very best that our nation has to offer, about to roll out the gate into harm's way, were enjoying themselves, the moment and feeling immortal that nothing was going to stop," Marchert said. "Here's the old man taking a little quiet time and there are these Soldiers loving life. I'll never forget that image of just how proud I was to be with those young Soldiers."
The Change of Responsibility ceremony on April 4, at the Clay National Guard Center, marks a new point in Marchert's career as he takes on the position as the senior enlisted advisor to the Adjutant General of Georgia.
"Command Sgt. Maj. Marchert is an outstanding leader who I look forward to serving with and serving beside in this organization," said Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Jarrard, Adjutant General, Georgia Department of Defense.
Marchert will take on this responsibility while still being an educator for the state, which brings his particular experience to the job.
"I really have high hopes for Command Sgt. Maj. Marchert," said First Sergeant Samuel Larsh, Joint Forces Head Quarters, Georgia Army National Guard, at the Change of Responsibility ceremony. "I think he has the knowledge and expertise and the fact that he has the experience as an m-day soldier combined with all the AGR people and to bring the differences between them together and make us a strong formation."
Marchert is dedicated to what he calls the Guardsman trinity - family, civilian employment, and the Army.
"Officers, NCOs, Soldiers, and Airmen; I can't imagine my life without you," said Marchert. "You have always been there for me. I now have the humbling responsibility of ‘paying it forward’ to you and your families. It is my intent to continue to bring value and trust to our great organization."
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2018 12:50 |
| Story ID: | 272464 |
| Location: | MARIETTA, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 427 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Georgia Guard's New Senior Enlisted Advisor, by SGT Gary Hone, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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