ARLINGTON, Va. – The Army National Guard welcomed a new soldier into the top enlisted position within the Army Guard.

Command Sgt. Maj. Brunk W. Conley took over responsibilities as the 10th command sergeant major of the Army National Guard in a ceremony Wednesday at the Army National Guard Readiness Center here.

Conley takes over from Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Burch, who is returning to duties with the Nebraska Army National Guard. During his tenure in the position Burch revamped the Army Guard’s Best Warrior Competition to make it more challenging, implemented changes to the promotion board process and instituted means for overall greater efficiency of operations, said Army Lt. Gen. William Ingram Jr., director of the Army National Guard.

“I’m very proud of the initiatives that [Command] Sgt. Maj. Burch instituted in his time as command sergeant major of the Army National Guard,” said Ingram.

Conley comes to his current position after serving as the command sergeant major of the Oregon National Guard. His military career began in December 1981 and after attending One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was awarded the Military Occupational Specialty of infantryman. After serving with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Conley transitioned to the Oregon Army Guard where he served in a variety of leadership positions from squad leader through command sergeant major.

Conley has deployed overseas twice with the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, first to Baghdad, Iraq, in October 2003 and then to Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2006. Additionally, Conley served in New Orleans as part of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts after the storm made landfall in August 2005.

In his new position Conley represents and advises the director of the Army National Guard on matters pertaining to Army Guard policies and actions that affect enlisted soldiers, coordinates with the sergeant major of the army and command sergeants major of the Army Guard and major Army commands. He also reviews and inspects field training, inactive duty training, overseas deployments and noncommissioned officer leadership schools on behalf of the director.

“I want it to be clear that in my mind there is nobody more important than the citizen-soldier,” said Conley during the ceremony. “I will not rest in this position until vacancies are filled, soldiers are deployed, they are equipped and fully trained for all missions foreign and domestic. We live and breathe to support the citizen-soldier. You have my word, and thank you for this opportunity.”

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