Ready Battalion Soldiers of the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion bade farewell to Command Sgt. Maj. Max J. JeanPhilippe and welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Arturo A. Romero Jr. as the battalion’s new senior noncommissioned officer during a change of responsibility ceremony Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

“During Max’s proud tenure he built a culture of trust where Soldiers have faith in their leadership and are inspired to excel,” 17th CSSB battalion commander Lt. Col. Gavin R. Laskowski said of the outgoing command sergeant major. “His level of commitment, connectedness and devotion to every Soldier in the formation is simply unmatched.”

While praising JeanPhilippe and wishing him well in his next assignment, Laskowski also welcomed Romero as the right choice to continue moving the Ready Battalion forward.

“Arturo, you come with an accomplished record and all the attributes to lead this battalion to the next level. The Army got it right with your selection,” Laskowski said. “Your time here will be the most rewarding and challenging you will face. You must continue to advocate and educate senior leaders across the Army on what is required in the Arctic.”

Romero comes to Alaska from the 59th Ordnance Brigade where he served as the Ordnance Proponent Sergeant Major at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. He has previously held numerous positions of responsibility to include Light Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, Wheeled Maintenance NCOIC, Platoon Sergeant, Motor Sergeant, Recruiter, Battalion Motor Sergeant, First Sergeant, and Materiel Readiness Branch Sergeant Major. His stateside assignments include Fort Irwin, California; Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia; San Diego Recruiting Company, California; MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

His overseas assignments include Wiesbaden, Germany, Camp Humphreys, South Korea, and Vicenza, Italy. He has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

Romero’s military training and education includes Basic Leaders Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Senior Leaders Course, Unit Level Logistics System Ground Operators Course, Standard Army Maintenance System Enhanced Operator Course, Modern Army Combatives Level 2, Sling Load Inspector Certification Course, Equal Opportunity Leaders Course, U.S. Army Recruiter Course, U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course, Joint Logistic Management Course, First Sergeants Course, Master Resilience Trainers Course, U.S. Army Jumpmaster Course and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy (Class 71). He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Workforce Development from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3-OLC), Army Commendation Medal (3-OLC), Army Achievement Medal (4-OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal (8th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 Campaign Star), Iraqi Campaign Medal (2 Campaign Stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 5), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 4), NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Citation Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation Award (1-OLC), Army Superior Unit Award, Driver’s Badge, Mechanic’s Badge, Army Gold Recruiter Badge (3 Sapphire Stars), Senior and Basic Parachutist Badge, British, Canadian, Chilean, French, German (Bronze), and Italian Parachutist Badge, the German Proficiency Marksmanship Badge Schutzenschnur (Gold), and the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe Award.

The 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion is the largest battalion-level formation in the 11th Airborne Division, operating out of JBER and Fort Wainwright. Seven Companies and six detachments comprised of more than 1,200 Soldiers provide logistics, financial, law enforcement, chemical detection, and musical support to the region. The Soldiers consistently rise to any challenge presented, exemplifying the battalion’s motto, “Always Ready!”