{"id":47406,"date":"2023-05-01T18:06:10","date_gmt":"2023-05-01T18:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/05\/01\/army-special-ops-command-welcomes-first-female-command-sergeant-major\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:16:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:16:28","slug":"army-special-ops-command-welcomes-first-female-command-sergeant-major","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/05\/01\/army-special-ops-command-welcomes-first-female-command-sergeant-major\/","title":{"rendered":"Army Special Ops Command welcomes first female command sergeant major"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s Note: This <\/i>article<\/i><\/a> was published first published in <\/i>The Fayetteville Observer<\/i><\/a>. It has been updated with additional information from the ceremony.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FORT BRAGG \u2014 The U.S. Army Special Operations Command has its first female command sergeant major, while the outgoing top enlisted soldier will be the next sergeant major of the Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more than 30,000 soldiers and civilians, USASOC is the higher command for the 1st Special Forces Command, John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Army Special Operations Aviation Command and 75th Ranger Regiment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a ceremony Monday at Fort Bragg, Command Sgt. Maj. JoAnn Naumann assumed responsibility from Command Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Weimer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naumann most recently served as the senior enlisted leader for Special Operations Command-Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"U.S.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command change of responsibility ceremony on Monday, May 1, 2023, on Fort Bragg. (Andrew Craft\/The Fayetteville Observer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She enlisted in the Army in February 1996 as a voice language analyst. She completed the Arabic Basic Course at the Defense Language Institute and Advanced Individual Training at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naumann\u2019s assignments include serving as the Joint Special Operations Command\u2019s senior enlisted advisor, command sergeant major for the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion and command sergeant major for the Joint Special Operations Command Intelligence Brigade. She has completed 14 deployments throughout CENTCOM and AFRICOM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an Army interview<\/a> last year, Naumann said she\u2019s been with special operations since 2002.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I came into the SOF (special operations forces) community in 2002, there were very few women,\u201d Naumann said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahead of Monday\u2019s ceremony, Naumann told The Fayetteville Observer that being in special operation forces is more about capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have all different military occupation specialties in our formation,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have genders and races and everything. Everyone is represented in our formation, and it\u2019s about putting everybody on the same playing field and then selecting the best athlete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, USASOS\u2019s commander who oversaw Monday\u2019s ceremony, said he\u2019s known Naumann for decades and described her as a trailblazer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Naumann\u2019s most recent assignment, Braga said, she worked with Korean forces that don\u2019t \u201creally have females,\u201d in its special operation forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naumann, Braga said, showed the Korean forces that she would jump with them, go to the range with them and was a value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTalk about changing cultures and adding to strategy and international partnerships through sheer perseverance and commitment and leading by example,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to the ceremony, Naumann said the best advice she received was when she was a staff sergeant and a sergeant major told her she\u2019s done her job when her soldiers don\u2019t need her anymore<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is about developing our people … It\u2019s not about me here today, but it\u2019s about who\u2019s going to be here behind me and who\u2019s going to be here in 10 years and growing those future leaders,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naumann said she\u2019s honored to lead the Army\u2019s special operation forces \u201cat an inflection point,\u201d when the Army is \u201cchallenged by new adversaries and rapidly advancing technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She thanked Weimer for his guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Sergeant Major of the Army<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Weimer is leaving his position as command sergeant major of USASOC to become the 17th sergeant major of the Army in August, a position currently held by Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston.<\/p>\n\n\n\t