Photo Information

Lt. Col. Siebrand Niewenhous IV, commanding officer, Sgt. Maj. Christopher Gasser and Sgt. Maj. Max Garcia salute during a relief and appointment ceremony at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 24, 2017. Gasser relieved Garcia during the ceremony, assuming duties as senior enlisted advisor at Combat Logistics Battalion 31. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Amy Phan/Released)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Amy Phan

Garcia departs, Gasser assumes post as CLB-31 sergeant major

24 Feb 2017 | 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit

Sgt. Maj. Max Garcia, Combat Logistics Battalion 31, relinquished the sword of office to Sgt. Maj. Christopher Gasser during a relief and appointment ceremony at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 24, 2017.

Gasser assumes the post as senior enlisted advisor of CLB-31 after serving at Combat Logistics Regiment 35. Garcia is slated to take his new post as sergeant major of 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

Garcia spent nearly three years with CLB-31, guiding the Marines of the battalion through several deployments across the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, including bi-lateral exercises in the Philippines, Kingdom of Thailand, Republic of Korea, and Australia.

“To Chris Gasser and his wife, best of luck,” said Garcia. “You bring a different set of skills than I do, and you’re going to be awesome for this battalion.”

Gasser looks forward to taking the lead as senior enlisted with the battalion, which is the Logistics Combat Element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and hopes to build on Garcia’s success during his tenure.

“Lt. Col. Niewenhous, I look forward to working with you,” said Gasser, addressing the battalion’s commanding officer, Siebrand H. Niewenhous IV. “I am extremely excited for the future deployments and actually building upon the foundation that you and Sgt. Maj. Garcia had.”

Speaking to the Marines and Sailors of the battalion, Gasser looks toward the horizon and new opportunities to succeed and grow.

“Marines and Sailors of CLB-31, I am humbled and honored to stand before you as your sergeant major, I know that we will step forward and successfully accomplish every missions assigned here in the future and we will do that as a team.”

CLB-31 provides logistics support to each element of the 31st MEU. From water purification and beach landing support to transportation and explosive ordnance disposal, CLB-31 is vital to the readiness of the 31st MEU Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

As the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed unit, the 31st MEU’s air-ground-logistics team provides a flexible force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations, from limited combat to humanitarian assistance operations, throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

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