‘Regulars’ honor Ragusa, welcome new CSM
Command Sgt. Maj. Isaac Ragusa, outgoing command sergeant major of 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, prepares to pass the ceremonial noncommissioned officer sword to the battalion’s rear-detachment commander, Maj. Wallace Myers, during the “Regulars” change of responsibility ceremony Friday on Highlander Field at East Fort Bliss. Photo by Spc. Brandon A. Bednarek, 4th BCT, 1st AD Public Affairs.
Spc. Brandon A. Bednarek,
4th BCT, 1st AD Public Affairs:
The 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, held a change of responsibility ceremony Friday on East Fort Bliss’ Highlander Field to honor the outgoing command sergeant major and welcome his replacement.
Command Sgt. Maj. Isaac Ragusa officially transferred his battalion responsibility after passing the ceremonial noncommissioned officer sword to Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew R. Lowe.
Ragusa, who has led the “Regulars” since March of last year, was first a member of the battalion nearly 22 years ago at Fort Polk, La. Not long after his arrival at Polk, a then Pvt. Ragusa deployed to Panama as a machine gunner in support of Operation Just Cause.
After more than two decades and seven promotions, Ragusa once again found himself in combat with the Regulars, this time leading troops in eastern Iraq during the brigade’s Operation New Dawn deployment last year.
During their tenure in Iraq, the battalion successfully transitioned Al Asad Air Base and Contingency Operating Site Hammer, as well as convoying more than 450 miles across Iraq to Kuwait – all while keeping Soldiers free from injury.
Maj. Wallace Myers, rear-detachment commander for 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, passes the ceremonial noncommissioned officer sword to the battalion’s incoming command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew R. Lowe, during a change of command ceremony Friday on Highlander Field at East Fort Bliss. Lowe took responsibility of the battalion from Command Sgt. Maj. Isaac Ragusa, who had led the unit since March 2011. Photo by Spc. Brandon A. Bednarek, 4th BCT, 1st AD Public Affairs.
“We brought home every Soldier, with nothing less than a band-aid, blister or even a scratch on them,” said Ragusa. “That, to me, is a proud moment in my life.”
In the short time Ragusa operated as the command sergeant major, he impacted the unit in ways that exceeded the standard, with the results reflecting greatly on the “Hoo-ahs” and “Hoo-ettes” of the battalion.
“He is one of the most dedicated, selfless and professional noncommissioned officers I have ever met,” said Maj. Wallace Myers, the battalion’s rear-detachment commander. “He holds his troops to a high moral and professional standard, but in exchange, he does everything in his power to see them succeed,” he continued.
Ragusa and his wife Cynthia will continue their Army service at Fort Carson, Colo., where he will serve as the command sergeant major for 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
“They say it’s not what you do when you are here; it’s the legacy that you leave behind when you are gone,” said Ragusa. “Regulars, I hope I have made a lasting impression on you, your families and your lives. I bid you farewell and I’ll see you on the objective when the smoke clears.”
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