NEWS BRIEFSNEW COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITYStory by Gail Cureton Photos: Theresa RomanHe concluded his remarks with a quote made famous by the<strong>Army</strong> Chief of Staff: “The strength of our nation is our <strong>Army</strong>. Thestrength of our <strong>Army</strong> is our Soldiers. The strength of our Soldiersis our Families. That is what makes us <strong>Army</strong> strong. That is whatmakes us NRMC strong.”A Charleston, S.C., native, Scott has served in a wide variety ofleadership roles throughout his more than 27 years in the UnitedStates <strong>Army</strong>, specializing in dentistry. He most recently served asthe Command Sergeant Major for the Warrior Transition Command(WTC). As the senior enlisted advisor to the WTC Commander,he was charged with advising the WTC Commander onthe <strong>Army</strong>’s Warrior Care and Transition Program and support forwounded, ill, and injured Soldiers.Brig. Gen. Joseph Caravalho, Jr. passes the NCO sword to CommandSgt. Maj. Benjamin Scott at the change of responsibility ceremony Dec.9, 2011, held in Wood Theater at Fort Belvoir, Va.Command Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Scott accepted the ceremonialnoncommissioned officers sword from outgoing Command Sgt.Maj. Frances Rivera signifying his assumption of authority as the<strong>North</strong>ern Regional Medical Command’s senior enlisted leaderDec. 9 during a ceremony on Fort Belvoir.Rivera, who retired after 31 years of service, thanked the commandleadership for their support and left a leadership charge tothose who follow her. “I ask that each sergeant major here todayremember that we are the standard bearers. You have a legacy tolive for and to leave to your Soldiers. It is never about you. It isabout the (<strong>Army</strong>) values. It is about the NCO Creed. It is aboutbeing the most professional Soldier you can be.”Brigadier Gen. Joseph Caravalho Jr., NRMC commanding general,commended Rivera on her leadership during a time of significantchange in the region as the result of the Base Realignmentand Closure. “Command Sergeant Major Rivera led our medics,officers and DA Civilians through the process, while ensuring wecontinued to deliver the caliber of care this region is known toprovide.“Command Sergeant Major Rivera was the kind of leader ourNCO Corps needed at a time of trying transition, and I, for one,am grateful for the opportunity to experience her professionalismfirst-hand,” the general said.Scott confirmed his responsibility as the new NRMC commandsergeant major by stressing the importance of leading by examplenot by perfection. “I believe God will keep perfection for himself.Excellence we can all do and that is what we should do, what wemust do,” he said.6Other senior leadership assignments included command sergeantmajor for Landstuhl (Germany) Regional Medical Center, wherehe worked closely with Soldiers medically evacuated from thecombat theater in Iraq and Afghanistan. Immediately prior to arrivingat Landstuhl, Scottwas the command sergeantmajor for the U.S. <strong>Army</strong>Medical Activity at FortIrwin, Calif., where hehelped start a unit specializingin the care of severelyinjured Soldiers and Soldierswith traumatic braininjuries.His awards include BronzeStar Medal, MeritoriousService Medal with fiveoak leaf clusters , <strong>Army</strong>Commendation Medalwith five oak leaf clusters,<strong>Army</strong> Achievement Medalwith seven oak leaf clusters,<strong>Army</strong> Good ConductMedal with seven oak leafclusters, National DefenseService Medal with bronzestar, Korean DefenseCommand Sgt. Maj. Benjamin Scottspeaks during the change of responsiblityceremony.Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on TerrorismExpeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,NCO Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 4, <strong>Army</strong>Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 3, MeritoriousUnit Citation with one oak leaf cluster, and one overseasservice bar. He earned the Expert Field Medical Badge, GermanMarksmanship Award (Schuetzenschnur), and is a member of theprestigious Sergeant Morale and Sergeant Audie Murphy Clubsand a recipient of the Order of Military Medical Merit.
NEWS BRIEFSKENNER ARMY HEALTH CLINIC HONORS NAMESAKEStory by Tereasa WadePhoto courtesty of Kenner <strong>Army</strong> Health ClinicIn the <strong>Army</strong>, buildings are often named after past leaders inrecognition of their great accomplishments and contributions. Inkeeping with that tradition, Kenner <strong>Army</strong> Health Clinic, Fort Lee,Va., was named for Maj. Gen. Albert Walton Kenner, who servedwith distinction as an <strong>Army</strong> doctor for 33 years.The clinic paid tribute to Kenner with a ceremony marking his122nd birthday Dec. 15.“Celebrating our Kenner namesake on the 122nd anniversaryof his birth seems like the right thing to do,” said Col. Joseph S.Pina, Kenner <strong>Army</strong> Health Clinic commander. “Team Kenner isproud to honor Maj. Gen. Kenner, and we hope to emulate hisprofessionalism as we carry on providing quality health care in hisname.”Members of Kenner’s family will attend the ceremony, which alsomarks nearly 50 years since April 12, 1962, when <strong>Army</strong> SurgeonGeneral Lt. Gen. Leonard D. Heaton dedicated the Fort Lee hospitalas Kenner <strong>Army</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>. The new Kenner <strong>Army</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong> replacedthe previous facility that had been in operation since 1941.“I am honored to be able to celebrate this auspicious occasion honoringMaj. Gen. Kenner and his many achievements and contributionsto <strong>Army</strong> medicine,” said Lt. Col. Paula Davis-Bonner, chief,Active Duty Clinic, who was born at Kenner the same month andyear as the building was dedicated. “Kenner is a great facility, and Ihave truly enjoyed my two assignments here,” said Davis-Bonner.Kenner was born in Holyoke, Mass., on Dec. 15, 1889, andreceived his Ph.D. and M.D. degrees from George WashingtonUniversity in 1910 and 1915, respectively.“In paying tribute to Maj. Gen. Kenner and his career, and reflectingon the man that he was, certain things come to mind,” saidPina. “Maj. Gen. Kenner was definitely an important figure inmedical history, a great Soldier and a natural leader. We as TeamKenner pay tribute to Maj. Gen. Kenner and are glad to have theopportunity to fondly remember this great leader’s passion forlife, and to share why he was the inspiration for the name of thishospital and clinic.”7
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