MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- The 7th Marine Regiment welcomed Sgt. Maj. Scott Samuels, as their new regimental sergeant major, during a ceremony held across the street from Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field May 20, 2011.
Samuels came to the regiment from 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, where he served as battalion sergeant major. He took over for Sgt. Maj. Michael Kufchak, who has served as the unit’s top enlisted Marine for the past three years.
Samuels said he looks forward to leading his Marines. He kept his speech short and told his Marines he prefers to let his actions speak for themselves.
After the ceremony he went to the award ceremony at Felix Field for Marines with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, to congratulate the Marines and to introduce himself to the battalion.
“It’s a great regiment,” said Samuels, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. “It’s the largest infantry regiment in the Marine Corps, and I couldn’t ask for a better place to be. I look forward in serving in combat with [the regiment] and preparing for that.”
Kufchak, from Warren, Ohio, thanked his friends and family for their support and wished Samuels the best in the regiment.
The two men know each other well and have previously served in Afghanistan together. Kufchak will be moving on to his new position as division sergeant major for the 1st Marine Division.
Sergeant Maj. Scott Samuels accepts the noncommissioned officer sword from Col. Austin Renforth, his commanding officer, during a relief and appointment ceremony, officially naming him the regimental sergeant major for the “Magnificent 7th” May 20, 2011.