GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Marine Corps Detachment Goodfellow welcomed U.S. Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Brian Cooney, incoming MCD Goodfellow senior enlisted leader and thanked U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Darry Cross, outgoing MCD Goodfellow SEL, during a relief and appointment ceremony at the Louis F. Garland Department of War Fire Academy, July 24.
“I want to thank you guys for coming out, and I appreciate everybody being here,” expressed Cross. “1st Sgt. Cooney is the guy, and I think you got the right guy in the right place that’s going to continue everything that we’ve been doing and then no doubt, expand upon that. Everybody is in good hands here for sure.”
Cross will be departing MCD Goodfellow to serve as the senior enlisted advisor to the Director of Intelligence at the Intelligence Department, Headquarters Marine Corps.
Since 1875, noncommissioned and staff noncommissioned officers have carried the noncommissioned officer sword as a symbol of their ability and prestige. As enlisted leaders of the Marine Corps, senior enlisted leaders are the keepers of tradition within their units. A relief and appointment ceremony is a Marine Corps tradition that provides official recognition of all responsibilities and authorities being transferred to the incoming senior enlisted leader through the passing of the noncommissioned officer sword and serves the function of rendering honors to the departing senior enlisted leader.
As the new senior enlisted leader, Cooney will serve as the principal advisor to the MCD Goodfellow commanding officer on all matters concerning the readiness, training, professional development, utilization and effectiveness of the detachment’s enlisted Marines.
“Thank you for the opportunity to be your senior enlisted leader and be on the team with you,” stated Cooney. “Thank you for the trust. I take it with the utmost humility and I look forward to working with you all in the future.”