Pat Donahue, Coastal Courier
Calling him “the right man at the right time,” Fort Stewart garrison commander Col. Gabe Weaver welcomed aboard Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen Tocco as the new garrison command sergeant major Friday.
As garrison command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Tocco is the senior enlisted adviser to Col. Weaver. It’s his job to make sure the soldiers and families are supported properly and to ensure the installation can train and deploy the soldiers assigned to it when needed.
“It carries a lot of weight,” Command Sgt. Maj. Tocco said of his new role. “Fort Stewart has a rich history. It has an extremely powerful reputation across the Army in taking care of soldiers and their families. That is a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I enjoy helping to provide solutions to take care of soldiers and their families.”
Col. Weaver called Friday’s assumption of responsibility a “momentous day for our organization.”
“The garrison command sergeant major is the keeper of standards, the voice of our soldiers and families and the bedrock of our installation support,” Col. Weaver said. “Change is a constant in military life. Every assignment requires sacrifice and resilience.”
Tocco, a 19D or cavalry scout by initial training, was the command sergeant major for 1/4 Infantry Battalion in Germany. He’s a veteran of multiple deployments, having served combat rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom I and III and Operation New Dawn in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
“Over the last two decades, he has built a distinguished career defined by professional development and a broad operational perspectives,” Col. Weaver said of Command Sgt. Maj. Tocco.
Having been assigned to D Troop, 10th Cavalry and 1/30 Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division’s former 3rd Brigade, he has a Marne Division combat patch. But this is his first assignment to Fort Stewart in his 25 years. He was stationed at Fort Benning from 2001-06.
“I understand what it’s like to be away from home,” he said. “I understand what it’s like to leave a family behind while we’re doing the Army’s mission.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Tocco’s new tasks, he said, are to provide some security and stability so they can sleep easier at night knowing their families are being taken care of.
“When our soldiers answer the nation’s call to deploy, they must focus entirely on the mission,” he said. “They can’t be distracted by the worries of home. They must know with absolute certainty their families and loved ones are being supported.”
Col. Weaver told garrison staff they were getting “a proven leader” as the new senior enlisted adviser and Command Sgt. Maj. Tocco said he is always approachable.
“I’m responsible for the health and welfare of the soldiers and their families,” he said. “I’m here to be their advocate. I’m here to be their voice. I’ve got a lot of experience. I’ve been a proud member of this Army for 25 years. I’m excited to help them get to their goals.”
Though it’s his first stint at Fort Stewart, Command Sgt. Maj. Tocco’s previous time in the 3rd ID has made him aware of the high tempo the division has among its training exercises to its overseas deployments. Part of his job is making sure the soldiers can focus on what they need to do on the ranges and tables across the post to prepare for what’s next.
“The train never stops moving for the soldiers of the Marne Division,” he said.