BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The new command sergeant major of Bagram Air Field Garrison, Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. Latter, assumed responsibility Sept. 15, 2014, in a ceremony attended by more than 100 senior leaders from units across the base.
Latter assumes responsibility at a critical juncture in Bagram’s existence as the key enduring base in Afghanistan, as the International Security Assistance Force transitions from Operation Enduring Freedom to the Resolute Support Mission.
“As we transition to the Resolute Support Mission, drawing down forces throughout Bagram, we’re preparing all the parcels of land that we’ve occupied for the last 13 years for turning back over to the Afghan government,” Latter said. “We’ve got to work as a team to get that done.”
Latter’s previous position was as the garrison command sergeant major of Fort Meade, Maryland, where he gained the skills necessary for success at Bagram.
“I understand the different directorates within a garrison - how they work,” said Latter. “Fort Meade is a joint service base, so I’m used to working with the kinds of agencies that are also here on Bagram as well as the five military services and our coalition partners. That is going to help me build the teams we need here to execute the mission and be successful.”
The garrison command sergeant major is the linchpin for base operations, ensuring all garrison elements and tenant units work together toward accomplishing their missions, providing security and sustaining basic life-support functions.