[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 213 (Wednesday, December 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7537-S7538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR PHILIP R. CANTRELL

 Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, it is an honor to rise today to 
recognize the unwavering service of a true West Virginian, CSM Phillip 
R. Cantrell, as he retires from Active military service and transitions 
to a new chapter of public service. Phillip Cantrell is simply the best 
of the best. He is humble, competent, compassionate, and a warrior 
scholar. He has served in the toughest of environments, leading 
generations of men and women while having an immeasurable and positive 
influence on them. I know this because I was fortunate to have Phillip 
on my staff for a year as a congressional fellow and am fortunate to 
call him my friend.
  Command Sergeant Major Cantrell is retiring from his final 
assignment, where he served as the senior enlisted leader of the West 
Virginia National Guard, a duty that he assumed in 2018 where he 
advised the Adjutant General on all matters pertaining to the nearly 
6,400 enlisted soldiers and airmen of the West Virginia National Guard. 
Before this assignment with the West Virginia National Guard, Phillip 
served in the toughest and most elite Active Army units, in combat and 
in peace. Phillip is the Soldier's Soldier, having trained a generation 
of leaders as a drill sergeant, led infantry units in combat as a first 
sergeant and command sergeant major, and paid reverence to our Nation's 
veterans as the command sergeant major of the Old Guard.
  Growing up in Logan County, Phillip enlisted in the Active Army 
Infantry in May of 1988 as soon as he graduated high school. He 
attending infantryman training at Fort Benning, GA, and would add many 
qualifications along the way, including Master Jumpmaster, Air Assault, 
Combat Infantry, and Drill Sergeant Badges. He married his wife Sherry 
in June 1989, and they have been together through numerous deployments, 
traveling the world together to serve their country and State.
  Anyone who has served in the military knows that the noncommissioned 
officer is the backbone of the Army. Throughout his career, Phillip has 
done the heavy lifting and served at every level of noncommissioned 
officer leadership, to include team and squad leaders, platoon 
sergeant, first sergeant, operations sergeant major and battalion and 
brigade command sergeant major.
  Command Sergeant Major Cantrell served in the 82nd Airborne Division 
from 1988 to 1996, participating in Operation Just Cause and Operations 
Desert Shield/Desert Storm before being reassigned to Fort Leonard Wood 
to serve as a drill sergeant. Upon his completion of drill sergeant 
duty, he returned to the 82nd Airborne Division and Fort Bragg, where 
he was deployed on a peacekeeping mission to Kosovo with the 3/504th 
Infantry Regiment.
  In 2005, while first sergeant of D Company, 2/505th Infantry 
Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Command Sergeant Major Cantrell was 
deployed in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and 
subsequently deployed two companies to Iraq in 2006 in support of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was deployed to Iraq in one of the most 
dangerous locations during 2006-2007, the time period known as the 
surge, when troop deployments were unexpectedly extended from 12 months 
to 15 months.

[[Page S7538]]

My State director served on the ground with him in Iraq during this 
time and attests to his solid leadership, having seen him operate 
during the most challenging, life-and-death conditions. She called him 
``the best in a unit of the bests,'' which is a testament to his 
leadership in the most difficult of conditions.
  After his combat deployments to Iraq, he was promoted to sergeant 
major in 2008 and after completion of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major 
Academy was assigned as the 8th Army Operations and Protection Sergeant 
Major in Yongsan, Korea.
  Command Sergeant Major Cantrell was then competitively selected to 
serve as the battalion command sergeant major of 4th Battalion, 3rd 
Infantry Regiment at Fort Myer and in 2012 was hand-selected as the 
brigade command sergeant major of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, ``The Old 
Guard.'' This hallowed unit is America's oldest Active Duty infantry 
unit where only the best are selected to serve. The Old Guard is the 
official ceremonial unit of the Army, providing a guard at the Tomb of 
the Unknown Soldier and performing countless commemorations at 
Arlington National Cemetery, amongst other missions. Phillip's service 
at The Old Guard is of the highest caliber and reflects great credit 
upon his patriotism and abilities.
  After serving as the most senior enlisted member of The Old Guard, 
Phillip was again competitively selected as an Army congressional 
fellow, an honor awarded to very few highly competitive servicemembers. 
That is where I really got the chance to know Phillip and see him in 
action when he served as a member of my staff for a year.
  I have come to know Command Sergeant Major Cantrell well throughout 
the years as a valuable part of my team as an Army congressional fellow 
and can attest to his strength of character and profound leadership. It 
is a privilege to recognize him for his service to our State and 
Nation.
  Following the year in my office, he was a congressional legislative 
liaison in the Army Senate Liaison Division, traveling around the world 
with congressional delegations.
  Command Sergeant Major Cantrell holds a master's degree in 
legislative affairs from George Washington University and a bachelor's 
in human resource management from American Military University.
  Because of Phillip's career and his unique leadership talents, it is 
my greatest honor to recognize his service. When visitors come to West 
Virginia, I jump at the chance to tell them we have fought in more 
wars, shed more blood, and lost more lives for the cause of freedom 
than most any State. We have always done the heavy lifting and never 
complained. We have mined the coal and forged the steel that built the 
guns, ships, and factories that have protected and continue to protect 
our country to this day.
  I am so deeply proud of what West Virginians have accomplished and 
what they will continue to accomplish to protect the freedoms we hold 
dear. Command Sergeant Major Cantrell is a part of this legacy of 
excellence and an inspiration to all who will follow in his footsteps. 
I want to wish Phillip, his wife Sherry who has been with him every 
step of the way, along with his family and many friends, a heartfelt 
congratulations and warm wishes for future health and 
happiness.

                          ____________________