Photo By Staff Sgt. Seth LaCount | Command Sgt. Maj. Julie Small transfers responsibility as the Alaska National Guard...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON— Alaska National Guard Soldiers, Airmen, leaders, families, and community members gathered to witness a time-honored military tradition as Command Sgt. Maj. Julie Small transferred responsibility of the AKNG command senior enlisted leader position to Command Sgt. Maj. John Phlegar and celebrated her retirement following 31 years of service during a dual ceremony at the JBER Arctic Warrior Events Center Dec. 5.
The event marked the official transition of the Alaska National Guard’s SEL position, an influential role charged with advising The Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, on the enlisted force, shaping readiness, and ensuring the well-being of AKNG Soldiers and Airmen across the state.
Small, who is the longest serving AKNG SEL, passed the Army noncommissioned officer sword of responsibility to Phlegar, symbolizing the continuity of leadership and the enduring strength of the NCO Corps.
Small’s family who attended have a combined 113 years of military service. She hails from a legacy of service and sacrifice to the nation.
Saxe, who presided over the ceremony, talked about Small’s impact on the organization and her character as a leader.
“Julie, you are a mentor, you are a team builder, and you have positively changed the culture,” Saxe said. “You have built amazing relationships with the enlisted corps and ensured every Soldier and Airman that you’ve mentored has tried to become the best version of themselves.”
Throughout her tenure, Small championed professional development, prioritized mentorship, and strengthened connections between the Alaska Army and Air National Guard. Her leadership guided the force through mobilizations, disaster response missions, and significant organizational growth.
Saxe applauded her for focusing on the “who” and not the “what” in her leadership style. The “what” being role and title. The “who” being the people she positively influenced.
“It has been an honor and a blessing to be part of this team,” Small said. “We have the best Guard in the world. With every engagement with Soldiers and Airmen I can feel their passion and see their pride as they showcase their talents.”
Phlegar, previously serving as the Alaska Army National Guard’s state command sergeant major, now assumes the top enlisted role where he will advise the adjutant general and senior leaders on enlisted matters across the joint force. With decades of experience in both state missions and federal deployments, he steps into the position with a focus on readiness, resilience, and developing the next generation of leaders.
During the ceremony, leaders emphasized the importance of enlisted leadership in the Alaska National Guard’s diverse mission set—from supporting emergency operations across the state’s remote communities to maintaining global readiness through federal missions.
The incoming SEL expressed his excitement for leading what he considers some of the nation’s most competent, resilient warriors.
“I’m energized by this opportunity to serve this amazing organization and the professionals who make it exceptional,” Phlegar said. “Alaska is unlike any place in the world and neither are its guardians. You are asked to respond when others cannot, and you defend when others hesitate. You serve communities separated by vast distances and isolated by complex terrain. Embodied by shared resilience, and you come through every time.”
As the COR transitioned to the celebration of Small’s retirement, the 176th Wing Mission Support Group commander Col. Matthew Kirby took the stage as master of ceremonies and applauded her efforts as one of the AKNG’s finest examples of what it means to serve.
“In my opinion, we’re losing one of the best noncommissioned officers this organization has ever produced,” he said. “Those who have had the honor of serving with you Julie, we’re losing someone who truly cares about everyone around them. Someone who brings joy to the room just by being you.”
Kirby took a moment to address the audience and ask them to demonstrate a point.
“If you’re in the audience today, and you have ever served or been impacted by Command Sgt. Maj. Small’s leadership please stand or raise your hand,” he said. “If she has ever put you above herself, please stand. If she has ever walked into a room and brightened your day, please stand.”
Nearly everyone in the main crowd rose to their feet, while Soldiers and Airmen in the back of the room stood with hands raised.
“Julie this is your legacy,” Kirby said. “These are the people you have coached, shaped and mentored. We are here for you. Thank you for everything.”
Saxe also applauded her legacy in his closing remarks.
“You have been the one to go before us,” Saxe said. “Doing things not because they were easy, but because they were hard. Doing things not because they were easy but because they were necessary to do. For every institutional, officer and enlisted issue you have been the best advisor I could ask for. You have paid it forward.”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Small received two Legions of Merit medals with a litany of other awards and gifts from her units she served, veteran organizations, friends and family.
Small praised her family in their support and shaping who she is as a leader.
“There is one person who should be here today, but she was called home too soon,” Small said. “That would be my mom. She and my dad laid the foundation for who I am, what I do and why I do it. They have instilled the values and morals that have been the basis of my service.”
In closing, she said she was proud to play a part in serving the people and country she loves.
“For those of you still serving, I pray that you work every day to make the Guard a better place,” Small said. “I am honored to have served my country. I can’t think of a better way to have spent my life. Thank you all.”
| Date Taken: | 12.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2025 14:21 |
| Story ID: | 553567 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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