United States Army Garrison at Fort Irwin welcomed a new senior enlisted advisor to the organization and community during a change of responsibility ceremony here, Dec. 16.
Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel O’Brien became the garrison’s command sergeant major after being charged with that responsibility by USAG Fort Irwin Commander Col. Scott Taylor. That moment occurred in the ceremony after Taylor handed the garrison colors to O’Brien. Taylor had just received the colors from Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Esmurria – the outgoing senior enlisted advisor.
Taylor hailed his new command sergeant major.
“Joining us with vast experience in leadership, most recently serving as the battalion command sergeant major of the 93rd MP Battalion at Fort Bliss, Texas, Command Sgt. Major O’Brien is eager to take on the challenges of his new title,” Taylor said.
In thanking Esmurria for his service, Taylor said, “Although I’ve only assumed command of the garrison at Fort Irwin a short five months ago, I’ve had the distinct privilege to learn volumes from Command Sgt. Maj. Carlos Esmurria … he has been a mentor, sounding board and a friend. He has eased my transition to this very different world of managing public works, providing for the quality of life of a community.”
Esmurria, who served with USAG Fort Irwin since Nov. 2013, thanked the garrison’s 522 Soldiers and civilian employees.
“Over the past two years, I have seen progress across our installation and in our staff, through the building of the Resiliency Center, the building of our new SKIES program, the installation storm remediation project, the Soldier For Life transition assistance program campus, the remodeling of the Warrior Zone, the development of SOPs and products, such as our command and staff briefings, and our new garrison workforce development program,” Esmurria stated.
Taylor, in his remarks earlier, noted that Esmurria will be staying here, serving his remaining time on active duty at the National Training Center headquarters tackling new challenges on behalf of Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin and Command Sgt. Maj. Edison Rebuck, with a particular emphasis on improving and advancing the Soldier for Life program.
O’Brien arrives after an assignment at Fort Bliss, Texas, as a provost sergeant major with 1st Armored Division. Other assignments include: 2nd Military Police Company, Camp Casey, Korea; Military Police Unit, Sierra Army Depot, Calif.; 98th Area Support Group and 1st MP Co., both in Wuerzburg, Germany; 34th MP Detachment, Fort Knox, Ky., and D/787th MP Battalion and 463rd MP Company, both at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
In addition to holding all key leadership positions, he has performed duties as a patrol/explosive detector dog handler, company operations sergeant, basic military police training division non-commissioned officer-in-charge and police transition team chief. While serving in the above assignments and duty positions, O’Brien participated in operational deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq as well as presidential and state department missions to: Amman, Jordan; Peshawar, Pakistan; Dakkar, Senegal, and Zagreb, Croatia.
O’Brien is a graduate of United States Army Sergeants Major Academy class 60. He is currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (five oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (three OLC), Army Achievement Medal (four OLC), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal (sixth award), the NCO Professional Development Ribbon (four), the Overseas Service Ribbon (three), the National Defense Service Medal (two), the Army Superior Unit Award, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the German Schutzenschnuer (Silver), the NATO Medal and the United Nations Medal.
Additionally, O’Brien is a member of both the Sergeant Morales and Sergeant Audie Murphy Clubs. He was an Army Combatives Championship Competitor in 2010 and 2011 and is a recipient of the Military Police Regiment’s Order of the Marechaussee (Bronze).