232d Medical Battalion welcomes new Command Sergeant Major

Photo By Jose Rodriguez | Lt. Col. Manuel Menendez, commander of the 232d Medical Battalion, right, passes the unit colors to Command Sgt. Major Lori Ingram, left, while the outgoing battalion command sergeant major Command Sgt. Maj. Chalawnda Kelley looks on during the 232d Medical Battalion change of responsibility ceremony held at the AMEDD Museum amphitheater on Joint Base San Antonio – Fort Sam Houston, Feb. 10, 2022. Ingram comes to the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence from the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence where she served as the operations sergeant major.  

FORT SAM HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES

02.11.2022

Story by Jose Rodriguez 

U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - The Soldier Medics of the 232d Medical Battalion welcomed Command Sgt. Major Lori Ingram as she replaced the outgoing command sergeant major Command Sgt. Maj. Chalawnda Kelley at a change of responsibility ceremony held at the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Museum amphitheater on Joint Base San Antonio – Fort Sam Houston, Feb. 10, 2022. The host for the ceremony was Lt. Col. Manuel Menendez, commander of the 232d Medical Battalion; also in attendance were Maj. Gen. Dennis LeMaster and Command Sgt. Maj. Clark Charpentier, the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence command team, along with Col. Marc Welde, commander of the 32d Medical Brigade, and other distinguished guests.

In describing Kelley’s twenty-nine months as the battalion’s senior enlisted advisor Menendez said, “In the time she was here CSM Kelley helped this team of instructors and Drill Sergeants graduate over ninety-nine percent of its arrivals, a historic high, and almost fifteen percent higher than the average of the past 20 years, and saw over 10,000 civilians leave here as combat medics. Thank you for carrying the weight for the past 2 plus years.”

“Being that this is Black History Month, I feel it is only fitting to begin my speech with a quote from the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige,” said Kelley as she thanked people for their support. "I feel good, I feel great, man, I feel amazing, feel amazing, man I feel amazing. In true transparency, I've drafted several versions of this speech over the past few weeks and the constant theme that kept jumping out in each of those drafts was relationships, specifically how the positive impact of those countless relationships have helped me over the past 29 months.”

Kelley transitions to her next unit of assignment is Southern Europe Taskforce Africa where she will serve as the Inspector General sergeant major.

In her remarks, Ingram said, “To the officers, NCOs, Army civilian personnel, and Soldiers of the 232d Medical Battalion, thank you to you and your family's dedication to the mission, and continued daily sacrifices. My promise to you is I will be a present leader, getting to know you and your families, and will always know the innate value you bring to our mission. Soldier Medic 7 signing on.”

Ingram comes to the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence from the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence where she served as the operations sergeant major.

The 232d Medical battalion is the largest training battalion in the U.S. Army, responsible for training 68W Combat Medics, the second largest Military Operational Specialty in the U.S. Army, and one of four battalions under the 32d Medical Brigade.

• Date Taken: 02.11.2022
• Date Posted: 02.11.2022 12:20
• Story ID: 414514
• Location: FORT SAM HOUSTON, TX, US