Kansas holds dual Change of Responsibility ceremony

Photo By Sgt. Michael Steed | (From left to right) Command Sergeants Major James Fenton, Harold Whitley, and Steve Harmon, pose for a picture after completing a dual change of responsibility ceremony at Forbes Field, Topekak, Kansas July 28.. Fenton took responsibility as the command sergeant major of the 69th Troop Command, Whitley took responsibility as the command sergeant major of the 35th Infantry Division and Harmon took responsibility as the command sergeant major of the Kansas Army National Guard.  

TOPEKA, KS, UNITED STATES

07.28.2019

Story by Sgt. Michael Steed 

105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

A dual change of responsibility ceremony for a few of the state’s highest non-commissioned officers was held at the Kansas National Guard Headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, July 28. Command Sgt. Maj. Harold Whitley, outgoing Kansas Army National Guard (KSARNG) command sergeant major, handed over responsibility to Command Sgt. Maj. Steve Harmon. Whitley was selected as the command sergeant major for the 35th Infantry Division out of Leavenworth, Kansas. Command Sgt. Maj. James Fenton assumed responsibility as the command sergeant major for the 69th Troop Command, headquartered in Topeka, taking over for Harmon.

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve and look forward to getting to know as many of the Soldiers and their families as possible,” said Harmon. “The family team is the reason we are successful.”

As the senior enlisted advisor to the Kansas Army National Guard, Harmon is entrusted with advising on issues regarding the professional development, readiness, training, utilization, health, morale, and welfare of the nearly 4,300 enlisted members of the KSARNG. Harmon is also responsible for managing the KSARNG enlisted force and representing their interests at all levels of local and state government and to the public.

“The Kansas Army National Guard has been blessed to have two such fine non-commissioned officers as these,” said Brig. Gen. Anthony Mohatt, commander of the KSARNG. “Command Sergeant Major Whitley has done an outstanding job as our senior enlisted leader and I have no doubt that Command Sergeant Major Harmon will prove to be just as valuable to our organization in this new role.”

Whitley has served as the state command sergeant major for the past three years, and will now take over as the command sergeant major of the 35th Infantry Division where he will continue to lead and take care of Soldiers.

“It's always about the Soldier, so every Soldier that puts this uniform on brings something to the collective whole of the organization - so for me you can't stress enough the importance of the Soldier,” said Whitley.
“Every Soldier matters, every Soldier has a purpose, that’s where I’m at with my Soldiers.”

After the change of responsibility ceremony for the state command sergeant major, attendees watched as Fenton, assumed the role of senior enlisted advisor for the 69th Troop Command replacing Harmon. In his speech Fenton thanked his predecessor for a job well done and to Mohatt for the opportunity.

“I've always felt very strongly that it is impossible to live in a vacuum, you have to have a group of people who helped you get there,” said Fenton, “I have come to realize that having all these people that are part of your success story also means you get to be a part of their success story. That's really the driving force behind my continued service.”

• Date Taken: 07.28.2019
• Date Posted: 08.08.2019 10:05
• Story ID: 335086
• Location: TOPEKA, KS, US