Photo By Master Sgt. Gregory Williams | Ft. Wadsworth, NY – U.S. Army Reserve Command Sgt. Maj. Aaron A. Miller, senior...... read more read more
Ft. Wadsworth, NY – An appetite for strong military leadership can never be filled as civil affairs units continue to mobilize around the world. Whether they’re honing their skills by conducting key leader engagements during multinational exercises or refining their tactical skills by executing warrior task drills during battle assemblies, hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of U.S. Army Reserve civil affairs soldiers train to stay battle-ready. With more than 4,000 soldiers and civilians falling under its command, the 353rd Civil Affairs Command demands leaders who strive to achieve mission success. As the unit welcomes a new senior enlisted advisor, it bids farewell to a leader who was instrumental in getting thousands of soldiers military occupational specialty qualified. The hunger for success never goes away and today’s world demands that it never be satisfied.
More than 150 U.S. Army Reserve soldiers, dignitaries, and community leaders attended a 353rd CACOM change of responsibility ceremony here on July 19, 2025. The ceremony allowed an opportunity for soldiers and leaders to acknowledge the contributions of the command's outgoing senior enlisted leader.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Lo has been a mentor to many including me, a steady compass when things got tough, and the kind of leader who always showed up no matter the hour, the task, or the weather,” U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Dean S. Thompson, commander of the 76th United States Army Reserve Operational Response Command, said. “Lo didn’t lead from behind a desk, but was out front, boots on the ground, checking on soldiers not because it was his duty, but because it was his nature.”
During Thompson’s time as commander of the 353rd CACOM, Lo served as his senior enlisted advisor, helping to shape the priorities of the force. Thompson said Lo’s ability to lead was nothing short of extraordinary and he led with quiet strength, humility, and a fierce commitment to his soldiers.
“I’ve personally seen the impact Command Sgt. Maj. Lo had,” Thompson said. “The way younger Soldiers looked to him not just for answers, but for reassurance. Lo carried the weight of his rank with grace, never forgetting that leadership is about people, not position.”
For the past two years, Lo assisted in maintaining unit readiness by elevating operations, human resources and logistic partnerships throughout all levels of the command. In addition, Lo established a metric program that led to a 2.8% decrease in overdue evaluations and helped the command create a pipeline to maintain a soldier military occupational specialty qualification rate of 85%, which culminated in the successful deployment of 600 soldiers.
U.S. Army Reserve Command Sgt. Maj. Aaron A. Miller, senior enlisted advisor of the 353rd Civil Affairs Command (incoming), said he was excited about the great things the command is doing, and he endeavors to take the unit to higher heights.
“I lean strongly into ‘setting the example’ and ‘leading from the front’ because they help me communicate effectively with all soldiers up and down the chain,” Miller said. “I believe strongly in excellence because the soldiers are always looking at leadership. When you set that bar and exceed it, every day we’re achieving more things.”
Miller said the mission of civil affairs has never not been relevant and as Global War on Terrorism deployments have slowed down, civil affairs reserve units have only gotten busier as they absorb missions from their Active-duty counterparts.
“We truly are operational and ‘the citizen-soldier’ is just a motto because we sometimes have soldiers spend more time in uniform than in their civilian career,” Miller said. “I believe excellence is a journey, not a destination and if we get a little bit better every day, eventually we’ll be able to look back and say we did a lot.”
Thompson said Lo’s legacy isn’t ending, it’s just evolving, and Miller will be responsible for maintaining the high standards of the unit.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Miller will inherit a unit strengthened by Command Sgt. Maj. Lo's leadership,” Thompson said. “He’s stepping into a role of great responsibility and I know he will carry the torch with pride and professionalism.”
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2025 22:00 |
| Story ID: | 543447 |
| Location: | STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 210 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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