FORT BLISS, Texas –Soldiers, leaders, community partners, and distinguished guests gathered at the 1st Armored Division Parade Field on May 1 to witness the division’s change of responsibility ceremony as CommandSgt.Maj. James L. Light relinquished responsibility to Command Sgt. Maj. Carvet C. Tate.
The ceremony marked the formal transition of senior enlisted leadership and reinforced continuity for the Army’s oldest armored division.
Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of the 1st Armored Div. and Fort Bliss, recognized Light’s leadership and impact during his tenure.
“For the past three years, Command Sgt. Maj. Light has been the driving force behind this division’s transformation into one of the most disciplined, lethal and capable mounted formations in our Army,” Taylor said.
Taylor also highlighted Light’s efforts to build combat readiness by entrusting junior leaders throughout the formation to train and lead their Soldiers.
“Most importantly, he championed the empowerment of noncommissioned officers at every level, entrusting them to train crews, run command posts and lead our formations,” Taylor said. “He delivered sound, candid advice focused squarely on the welfare of our Soldiers and families. He made me a better commander.”
Light, who assumed duties as the division’s senior enlisted advisor in 2023, previously served with 1st Armored Div. in Germany in 2002 as a staff sergeant and tank commander. He credits the lessons he learned from the leadership in 1st Armored Div. at this time for his success in the Army, and he felt compelled to pass those values on to today’s Iron Soldiers.
“When I had the opportunity to come back to the 1st Armored Division, I felt like I owed it something,” Light said during an interview the day before his transition. “I owed it the same type of noncommissioned officer leadership that I received early in my career. The culture of high standards, accountability and lethality were the foundation of our success in Iraq, and I worked hard to replicate that here.”
Ultimately, Light views his tenure as a success on this count due to the way the noncommissioned officer corps at Fort Bliss responded to his standards.
“The discipline of this division has improved exponentially, and I’m proud of the noncommissioned officers who took ownership and drove us forward.”
But Light recognized that it takes more than discipline and standards to make an effective team. Throughout his tenure, Light put repeated emphasis on building a culture of “pride in the patch” across the division.
“People have asked me what I’m most proud of as the division sergeant major,” Light said. “It’s about reconnecting Soldiers to their history and rebuilding the pride and esprit de corps across the formation. Every Soldier must understand who they are and own their piece of our culture and legacy.”
As he relinquished responsibility to Tate, Light left the formation with a final charge.
“Protect our reputation and guard our legacy with your every action — if required, with your life,” Light said. “I am, and always will be, until my last breath, a proud Iron Soldier.”
Tate looks to build on the foundation of discipline and the legacy of excellence revitalized by Light. As a seasoned leader in armored formations and the former command sergeant major of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, California, Tate understands the rigor and training required to maintain the most lethal fighting force in the Army.
“I am deeply grateful for the chance to serve the Soldiers of the 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss and the great city of El Paso,” Tate said. “Your legacy is forged in combat and proven around the world, and I am proud to be a member of the Iron team.”