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, the executive officer of the 261st since June who has spent 23 years in the Army<\/span>. “I just can\u2019t say enough positive things about Sergeant Major Ratley. I\u2019m still pretty much numb to what happened, still in a little bit of shock.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635888201551597679-arm-lynn-edward-ratley-3jpg.jpg\")
Command Sgt. Maj. Lynn Edward Ratley was actively involved in his community.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo Credit: Courtesy<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n “He was very soft-spoken, but when he spoke it was very powerful,” said Burk, who had been working with Ratley since April\u00a02014. “He was a tremendous mentor to young soldiers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Burk said he wasn’t the type who “blew up” on soldiers but instead pulled them aside to correct them.\u00a0\u00a0Both officers described him as a tremendous listener as well; he would clearly understand the heart of what a fellow soldier was trying to say and always willing to try to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It showed; Maxwell said not only did his enlisted\u00a0soldiers feel secure in taking advantage of his open door policy, but battalion and brigade leaders would seek his input as well. Even soldiers from past assignments would call him for advice, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What stood out most was his compassion and care for all the soldiers in the battalion, and any soldiers he came in contact with in his career,” Maxwell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ratley also had a passion for riding motorcycles. But he was no careless rider; he led the battalion’s chapter of the Army’s motorcycle safety organization, and had decades of experience, Maxwell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Burk said he’d done a great job with the battalion in his latest assignment, especially helping young soldiers, many of whom have never deployed, get ready to go overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “He’s done a lot of great things for our battalion. Really focused our battalion from a readiness standpoint,” Burk said. “He really brought a lot of focus back to the fundamentals of training, and getting soldiers in the mindset of readiness, and being ready to go out the door tonight.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ratley also supported the community, Burk said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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