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Home : Media : News : News Display

Battaglia Wraps Up Official Travel With Trip to San Diego


By Claudette Roulo
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
SAN DIEGO — The military’s senior noncommissioned officer is on the final official trip of his military career here, where it began 36 years ago.

Yesterday, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited the San Diego Military Entrance Processing Station to thank the personnel there for their efforts in “shaping the future of America’s military,” he said.

Battaglia’s first visit to a MEPS was in 1979, when as a young Marine recruit in his hometown of New Orleans, he was preparing to ship off to boot camp.

In 2012, as SEAC, he returned to that same station -- albeit in a new building that replaced the one destroyed by Hurricane Katrina -- and administered the oath of enlistment to about a dozen new recruits. This began a series of visits to more than 20 other MEPS, and at each stop he swore in new enlistees -- a rare privilege for an enlisted service member.

The sergeant major said he became determined to visit as many of these often-overlooked outposts in an effort to extend the Defense Department’s appreciation for the hard work of those who are helping to develop the future of the force.

No one should underestimate the impact the personnel at these stations make on the face of the nation and its military, Battaglia said yesterday.

The trip to the San Diego MEPS not only brought the sergeant major’s outreach full circle, but also marked the last time that Battaglia would have the privilege of administering the oath of enlistment.

Honoring a Fallen Hero

During his visit, the sergeant major also honored Army Capt. Scott Patrick Pace, for whom the station’s ceremony room is named. It is traditional for processing stations to name their ceremony rooms, where the oath of enlistment is issued, after fallen soldiers.

Pace was killed June 6, 2012, when his helicopter was struck by enemy fire in Afghanistan. When his helicopter was downed, Pace and his co-pilot, Army 1st Lt. Matthew Fazzari, had made four attack runs on enemy positions in an attempt to assist an infantry unit pinned down and taking casualties.

Battaglia presented the station’s commander, Navy Cmdr. Nina Nicasio, and senior enlisted advisor, Navy Command Master Chief Petty Officer John Beekman, with a shadowbox containing his challenge coin and a letter commemorating Pace’s sacrifice in service of his fellow troops.

The sergeant major also spoke with senior staff about the station’s testing programs and was briefed on how systemic changes have helped increase the speed with which recruits are processed.

Standing Before a Company of Marines

Today, the sergeant major attended the morning colors ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, as a guest of Marine Corps Brig. Gen. James W. Bierman, the MCRD commander. The ceremony is a chance for the parents and families of graduating recruits to watch as the U.S. flag is raised over the depot.

Battaglia is a “phenomenal United States Marine,” who “in his heart of hearts is a muddy-boots, sand- boots United States Marine grunt,” Bierman said during the ceremony.

“Welcome back to your drill field,” the general told the sergeant major.

Battaglia today also served as a guest reviewing officer as a formation of 531 Marine recruits assigned to Delta Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion -- his own company during boot camp -- crossed the parade deck to become newly minted United States Marines.

The ceremony triggered a variety of emotions for the sergeant major, who said he was nervous, excited, motivated and inspired by the sight of the young Marines, who, he added, made him feel “young and old” at the same time.

Tomorrow, Battaglia will deliver the keynote address at the 7th annual United Through Reading Storybook Ball.

According to the program’s website, United Through Reading helps to ease the trauma of separation and homecoming by offering service members the opportunity to be video recorded reading books to their children at home. With more than 200 locations worldwide, the program encourages literacy and fosters the emotional bond between deployed service members and their families.

(Follow Claudette Roulo on Twitter: @roulododnews)