FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood held a change-of-responsibility ceremony April 23, 2026, in Lincoln Hall Auditorium, where Command Sgt. Maj. Jorge Arzabala relinquished his role as top enlisted leader to Command Sgt. Maj. Keyon Cummings.
The ceremony also honored Arzabala’s retirement following 27 years of U.S. Army service — a career that began as a chemical specialist at Fort Leonard Wood and concluded with him serving as the installation’s senior enlisted leader.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, spoke on Arzabala’s career, commitment to Soldiers and value added to the Fort Leonard Wood community over the past three years.
“He made a difference ever single day. I have only had the opportunity to see it for the last few years, and I know it is just a small indicator of the impact you have had in the last two plus decades. You are a force of nature,” Beck said. “Thank you for your impact on people and organizations.”
Beck highlighted how Arzabala embodied the true essence of leadership by consistently caring for and mentoring Soldiers.
“He spent his time in leadership out with Soldiers. He spent time ensuring that they understood why their mission was so critical to our Army,” Beck said. “His legacy is in the Soldiers in this crowd, building an Army that he will have influenced for the next couple of decades to come.”
Beck concluded his remarks by formally welcoming Cummings to the team.
“At every level prior to joining our team he has excelled. He has been part of driving change, training leaders and transforming our Army everywhere he has been,” Beck said. “He has stepped right in and will continue to take us to the next level.”
Cummings highlighted his commitment to the mission, noting the honor of serving as the 13th command sergeant major of MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood.
He said he started his career at Fort Leonard Wood with Company C, 35th Engineer Battalion in 2002.
“Like many young Soldiers I was focused on the next day, the next mission, the next assignment. Along the way the Army invested in me. Leaders mentored me. My family supported me,” Cummings said. “Now it is my turn. My commitment is simple — to develop leaders, build teams, and empower our Warfighters.”
Cummings thanked Arzabala for being a good mentor and for showing him, “what right looks like.”
“Your leadership, your mentorship over years, and even now with this seamless transition, have set the conditions for success,” Cummings said.
Arzabala concluded the ceremony with his farewell remarks.
“As I look at all of you here today, I am reminded why Fort Leonard Wood is so special,” Arzabala said. “The Army has truly given me a front-row seat to the great things this institution is and has done.”
Reflecting back on his career, he acknowledged the pivotal support of both his family and the U.S. Army.
“My family gave me the foundation, but the Army gave me the discipline,” Arzabala said. “When we think about why we do this, it is because we want to make sure that our children and our grandchildren are afforded the same opportunities and our way of life as Americans.”
More photos from the ceremony may be viewed in this [Fort Leonard Wood Flickr album](https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCRMTJ).