32 • THE GRIFFON • Summer 2021
98th Training Division Welcomes a New CSM By Maj. Michelle Lunato FORT BENNING, GEORGIA — The 98th Training Division (IET) welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Kaim as the new division command sergeant major and bid farewell to Command Sgt. Maj. Ian Coyle at a Change of Responsibility Ceremony on May 16. Brig. Gen.Tony Wright, the Commanding General who presided over the ceremony, said it was great to have a Command Sergeant Major who could implement his vision, which was increasing the number of drill sergeants. “Command Sgt. Coyle accepted that. Made that his own. And this year, we are currently on track to produce a record 131 drill sergeants,” which is on top of the 350 already produced over Coyle’s three years in the Division. “He’s done an amazing job. So you can say that he not only captured that vision, but he executed it, and he leaves the 98th Training Division on much stronger ground,” said Wright. Coyle attributes the success of producing more drill sergeants to the Commanding General himself.
When I first came to the Division, there were so many priorities, but when Brig. Gen. Wight came, he nailed it down to three priorities: drill sergeant production, medical readiness and evaluations, explained Coyle in his farewell speech. The outgoing command sergeant major said he was not the only one working on creating more drill sergeants in the Division. In fact, he
said was just a member of a great team. “All the credit goes to you, the headquarters staff, the Soldiers and civilians who work every day. Thank you so much,” said Coyle. Coyle’s legacy will be more than numbers though, said Wright. “He was the most empathetic and compassionate command sergeant major that I’ve worked for.”
Wright explained that command sergeants major typically have a reputation from being “keep-offmy-grass” kind of leaders. But Coyle was more of a “I-will-walk-acrossthe-grass-to-meet-a-soldier’s-needs” kind of leader. Replacing that kind of leader is a difficult process, especially when there are so many qualified candidates, but Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Kaim rose to the occasion,
