MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- The highest enlisted Marine of 2nd Marine Division relinquished authority to his successor in a relief and appointment ceremony in front of the II Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters building here June 9.
Maj. Gen. Richard A. Huck, 2nd Marine Division’s commanding general, received a noncommissioned officer’s sword from Sgt. Maj. Ronald D. Himsworth, his senior enlisted advisor. Huck then presented it to Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia in a symbolic transfer of senior staff NCO authority.
“This is kind of a bittersweet day for us today because one of our senior leaders of the 2nd Marine Division is leaving,” Huck said. “Sgt. Maj. Himsworth is being replaced by an equally talented sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Battaglia.
Battaglia said he looked forward to a bright future serving as the division sergeant major.
“I am absolutely pumped and psyched to be able to have the opportunity to serve as the 2nd Marine Division sergeant major,” Battaglia said. “I hope that in due time, actions speak louder than words on some of the things that I think I can bring to the table to make sure we can better all of the Marines here.”
During the ceremony, Hismsworth was presented the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement as the division sergeant major in connection with combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2005 to February 2006 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
Himsworth thanked the Marines and his family and friends in attendance at the ceremony.
“I want to thank the sergeants major and master gunnery sergeants,” Himsworth said. “We are here because of their performance and what they’ve done, they were phenomenal over there. They went above and beyond the call during the deployment.