MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Sergeant Maj. Troy Dabney assumed the post of sergeant major of 1st Tank Battalion from Sgt. Maj. Conrad Potts during a post and relief ceremony Sept. 2 at Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field.
Lieutenant Col. Timothy Barrick, the commanding officer of the 1st Tank Bn., gave the first speech of the ceremony, welcoming the new battalion sergeant major and bidding farewell to the outgoing one.
“First, I want to say to Sergeant Major Potts, congratulations on a job well done,” he said. “You’ve done great things, and with your leadership, the battalion’s come a long way.
“To Sergeant Major Dabney, welcome to 1st Tanks. We are looking forward to working with you.”
When Potts rose to speak following the commanding officer, the Marines in formation behind him seemed to stand a little taller as they prepared to bid him farewell.
“This is a great day for me. I had a wonderful time here,” Potts said. “It is a bittersweet day.”
He then turned to his Marines and gave them one last charge. “I ask that you all support Sgt. Major Dabney the same way that you all supported me.”
Finally, the oncoming sergeant major took the field. After his greetings and gratitudes to the crowd seated in bleachers in front of him, he turned to his Marines.
“To 1st Tanks, I want to get around and meet each and every one of you; I just don’t want to see you first thing Wednesday morning in my office,” he said, hinting at what he expected of the Marines during the four-day Labor Day weekend.
The crowd was silent as the traditional passing of the sword took place on the field, formally showing the transfer of duty and responsibility.
Dabney comes to the Combat Center from 1st Battalion 1st Marine Regiment as the battalion sergeant major.
Potts is scheduled to report to Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, as the Headquarters Battalion Maintenance Center East sergeant major.