“Fighting First” Welcomes New Leader

The “Fighting First” has a new leader.

According to the Army, on Friday the 1st Infantry Division hosted an Assumption of Responsibility ceremony at the Cavalry Parade Field on Fort Riley. The event officially welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Jon Derek Noyes and his family to the Big Red One team.

For the first time in nearly 24 months, every 1st Inf. Div. unit was present on the field for a mass division formation. A unique aspect as the divisions’ 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team has recently returned from a 9-month deployment to Europe, and the 1st Inf. Div. Combat Aviation Brigade prepares to deploy to support NATO Allies and partners in Europe.

Command Sgt. Maj. Noyes is a native of Amarillo, Texas, and a graduate of the University of Maryland. Throughout his 27-year Army career, Noyes has held numerous leadership positions in the armor and cavalry community from tank gunner to the command sergeant major of the 1st Infantry Division.

“This Division has an incredible history, and I am humbled, honored, and incredibly excited to be standing before you today as a Big Red One Soldier and your Command Sergeant Major.,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Noyes, the newly assigned 1st Inf. Div. command sergeant major. “It is not lost on me the legacy of the Soldiers who came before me in this storied Division, from the battlefields of France to the beaches of Normandy, to the jungles of Vietnam, to standing watch on the Frontier of Freedom, to the deserts of the Middle East, I promise that I will give my all every day to continue to move that legacy forward.”