USAG Wiesbaden bids farewell to command sergeant major

Photo By Roland Schedel | U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Command Sgt. Maj. Richard A. Russell passes the colors to USAG Wiesbaden Commander Colonel David W. Mayfield, during Russell’s relinquishment of responsibility ceremony held May 19 on Clay Kaserne. (Photo: U.S. Army, Volker Ramspott)  

WIESBADEN, HE, GERMANY

05.24.2023

Story by Roland Schedel 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

USAG Wiesbaden bids farewell to command sergeant major

WIESBADEN, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden held a relinquishment of responsibility ceremony May 19 on Allen Field at Clay Kaserne to say goodbye to Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Richard A. Russell.

Russell is changing station to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston to become the Installation Management Command G3/5/7 Sergeant Major in June, and relinquished responsibility as the USAG Wiesbaden Command Sergeant Major during a ceremony hosted by Garrison Commander Col. David Mayfield.

“This is a bittersweet day for the Garrison,” Mayfield told the ceremony attendees. ”First of all, the importance of a Sergeant Major is without question. When we think about what the ideal character and leadership traits of a Command Sergeant Major, we come up with at least these points. An ideal command sergeant major is extremely dedicated, highly intelligent, and at the same time approachable. He is also inspirational, energetic, and extremely fit. And, I assure you that Command Sergeant Major Russell embodies all of these qualities and much more.”

Mayfield highlighted some of the Command Sgt. Maj.’s accomplishments, such as engaging in the Barracks Improvement Program, establishing the Enlisted Leader Forum, participating in the Sergeant Morales Club, and leading strategic and operational changes in the Garrison.

“I can’t say enough about how the sergeant major helped our garrison cope so well with the COVID pandemic, and its transition out of it. Command sergeant major Russell represents to me the ideal sergeant major. Everything a perfect sergeant major must have is found in this Soldier,” Mayfield said.

Russell has been in the Army his entire professional life and said that the Army is a part of him.

A trained Combat Medic, he has been deployed around the globe numerous times. Previous positions and assignments include Combat Medic, Hohenfels, Germany; Squad Leader, 115TH Field Hospital, Fort Polk, Louisiana; Medical Platoon Sergeant and S3 Schools NCO, 47TH Combat Support Hospital, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Russell served two times in Germany and once in Italy. Furthermore, he volunteered dozens of times as a Combat Medic in special operations.

When asked about his experiences in Germany, the enthusiastic Soldier, runner and father of four kids, replied, “I can really say that we see Germany as our second home,” and looked in the direction of his wife, Rebecca.

And that look says more than a thousand words. A basic understanding of the correct path to follow, problem-solving skills and a large dose of positive thinking are all part of the skillset that has made Russell such a constructive force over the years.
It has also endeared him to his Soldiers and made his personal life happy.

“The Army has allowed us to have a wonderful life and made us resilient; the Army is part of our lives,” he said of his family.

Not surprisingly, two Russell children also serve in the Army, one in Vicenza, Italy, another in Landstuhl, Germany. Both served in the Color Guard during Russell’s Relinquishment of Responsibility.

“It's good when you arrive at a point in your life and can look back and say: ‘I did it right’. And I can justifiably say that,” Russell said.

And it is precisely this calm and convincing way in which he says these words that makes it perfectly clear: here sits a man who is convinced in his very foundations, who is at peace and content.

During his time at USAG Wiesbaden, Russell also advocated for cooperation with the German armed forces. In addition to participating in frequent partnership events with the Hesse State Command in Wiesbaden, it was Russell who motivated American Soldiers from the Garrison to participate in the International Point Alpha March every year since 2021. The International Point Alpha March is intended to serve as an encounter between citizens in uniform and the civilian part of society.
It also promotes cooperation and solidarity between NATO partners.

He did this with great success, as Thomas Brehm, Staff Sergeant of the Reserve of the East Hesse District Group of the Association of Reservists of the German Armed Forces explained: “Of a total of about 150 participants annually, the U.S. Army always provided the strongest group of non-German Soldiers with about 50 participants. This is a great credit to Russell.”

“Today is a bittersweet day for me,” Russell said during his relinquishment. “It’s hard to describe my feelings about leaving U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, and Germany, after the past two years. Being the command sergeant major of such a fast and rapidly growing community in the middle of Europe has been a tremendous honor and privilege. I love the country and its people, liked the very close cooperation with the cities of Wiesbaden and Mainz, and enjoyed experiencing the culture of Germany and its people.”

• Date Taken: 05.24.2023
• Date Posted: 05.24.2023 02:52
• Story ID: 445388
• Location: WIESBADEN, HE, DE