Officials have confirmed that Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Rapp will no longer take up the position of command sergeant major of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, after an investigation found that he had misused government resources. The investigation was initiated by Maj. Gen. James P. Isenhower III, the division commander, after he received notification of a potential concern related to the issue. The investigation concluded that the allegations were founded, and officials have stated that soldiers are expected to uphold Army values and ethical obligations under federal law.
The incident was brought to Maj. Gen. Isenhower’s attention prior to a scheduled change of command ceremony on March 3. Despite the investigation, the retirement ceremony for the outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Michael C. Williams still took place on that date. The investigation results will not be released due to privacy concerns, and the findings were not referred to the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The 1st Armored Division, known as “Old Ironsides,” has a complement of approximately 17,000 soldiers.
Sgt. Maj. Rapp had been scheduled to take up his new position at Fort Bliss earlier in March, having previously served as sergeant major of operations at III Armored Corps at Fort Hood, Texas. He arrived at Fort Bliss on or around March 1. In the meantime, Command Sgt. Maj. Steve Devot will serve as acting command sergeant major until a new candidate is selected.