Fort Bliss Monitor

Daniela Vestal

Navarro stands before the color guard at his Change of Responsibility Ceremony.

Navarro assumes responsibility
for NCO Academy

Daniela Vestal
Monitor Staff

First Sgt. Robert Navarro accepted responsibility as deputy commandant for the Noncommissioned Officers Academy from Sgt. Maj. Rufus Phelps III in a ceremony June 27 at the Air Defense Artillery Museum.

“[Sgt. Maj. Phelps] has earned the confidence and respect of both myself and the Soldiers that [he has] led over the past sixteen months. [He is] successful because of [his] ability to influence and [his] willingness to work with others. No matter how small the task may have been, it was important to [him],” said Command Sgt. Maj. Lee G. Handy, NCO Academy commandant.

Handy went on to thank Phelps for his dedication to and hard work for the NCO Academy, as he prepares to attend the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.

“I love you all from the bottom of my heart,” said Phelps. “I thank you all for being the standard bearers and the pillars of society. You guys are the hardest working people on this installation for the stuff that you do. I just want to tell you the commandant did a great job picking a successor for this academy.”

Navarro enlisted in the Army in 1994. He has served in B Battery, 1-6 ADA Battalion at Fort Bliss; C Btry. 1-43 ADA Bn., Suwon Air Base, Korea; B Btry. 5-7 ADA Bn., Hanau, Germany and C Btry., 4-5 Air and Missile Defense Bn., Fort Hood, Texas. His deployments include Saudi Arabia and Poland.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal. Navarro and his wife, Donna, have three children, Robert Jr. 19, Rene 16, and Regan 13.

He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. His military education includes the Basic and, Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course, Total Army Instructor Training Course and Small Group Instructor Training Course.

“What a great honor and privilege it is to be assigned the position of deputy commandant of the best Noncommis-sioned Officer Academy in the United States Army,” said Navarro. “I can truly say this is an institution of excellence. I assure you that we will continue to uphold the high Army standards that are in place here at the academy and continue to train the best noncommissioned officers in the Army.”



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	July 7, 2007

	Daniela Vestal Navarro stands before the color guard at his Change of Responsibility Ceremony. Navarro assumes responsibility for NCO Academy Daniela Vestal Monitor Staff First Sgt. Robert Navarro accepted responsibility as deputy commandant for the Noncommissioned Officers Academy from Sgt. Maj. Rufus Phelps III in a ceremony June 27 at the Air Defense Artillery Museum. “[Sgt. Maj. Phelps] has earned the confidence and respect of both myself and the Soldiers that [he has] led over the past sixteen months. [He is] successful because of [his] ability to influence and [his] willingness to work with others. No matter how small the task may have been, it was important to [him],” said Command Sgt. Maj. Lee G. Handy, NCO Academy commandant. Handy went on to thank Phelps for his dedication to and hard work for the NCO Academy, as he prepares to attend the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. “I love you all from the bottom of my heart,” said Phelps. “I thank you all for being the standard bearers and the pillars of society. You guys are the hardest working people on this installation for the stuff that you do. I just want to tell you the commandant did a great job picking a successor for this academy.” Navarro enlisted in the Army in 1994. He has served in B Battery, 1-6 ADA Battalion at Fort Bliss; C Btry. 1-43 ADA Bn., Suwon Air Base, Korea; B Btry. 5-7 ADA Bn., Hanau, Germany and C Btry., 4-5 Air and Missile Defense Bn., Fort Hood, Texas. His deployments include Saudi Arabia and Poland. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal. Navarro and his wife, Donna, have three children, Robert Jr. 19, Rene 16, and Regan 13. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. His military education includes the Basic and, Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course, Total Army Instructor Training Course and Small Group Instructor Training Course. “What a great honor and privilege it is to be assigned the position of deputy commandant of the best Noncommis-sioned Officer Academy in the United States Army,” said Navarro. “I can truly say this is an institution of excellence. I assure you that we will continue to uphold the high Army standards that are in place here at the academy and continue to train the best noncommissioned officers in the Army.”