San Diego Union-Tribune January 24, 2007
Kent wants to address mental health problems
By Rick Rogers
For the second time in four years, the Marine Corps has turned to San Diego County to fill its top enlisted spot.
Camp Pendleton's Carlton W. Kent is the service's new sergeant major. He will serve as the point man for the Corps' commandant, Gen. James T. Conway, on everything from wartime deployments to health concerns for the enlisted.
“My main focus is on the Marines and sailors in combat,” Kent, 49, said yesterday. He was chosen Friday for his new job.
Kent wants to maintain strong leadership for the enlisted ranks as the Corps aims to grow by about 5,000 Marines per year. He also cited a need to fully diagnose and treat service members' mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Some of these young Marines are seeing things that some people don't see in their whole lifetimes,” he said. “I know that PTSD is a priority . . . This issue of PTSD is personal to me, very personal because I have friends who have it.”
A 31-year Marine, Kent was a drill instructor at the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot from 1983 to 1985. He spent 13 straight months in Iraq during 2004 and 2005 and has completed shorter deployments in the Middle East.
Kent is the ranking enlisted Marine at the Camp Pendleton-based 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. He was selected over four other finalists for his new role.
He succeeds Sgt. Maj. John L. Estrada, who has held the position since June 2003. Estrada served as the Corps' sergeant major after a stint with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.
In choosing Kent, Conway decided to rely on a man he knows well. Kent was Conway's senior enlisted Marine when the general commanded the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq during 2004.
The Marine Corps' expansion and wartime pressures will consume most of Kent's time, said John Pike, director of the military studies group GlobalSecurity.Org.
“I would assume he would look at the pattern of deployments to Iraq. Right now, Marines are deploying for six months (on average) while the Army is gone for 12,” Pike said. “The first month is spent just getting used to the routine and the last making sure they don't get shot or blown up before they go home. That means that the Marines are only really operations capable for four months. They might want to think about lengthening their tours.”
Kent expressed surprise yesterday at being tapped to become sergeant major. He has a simple method for gauging his performance in the new role.
“If when I am done, Marines come up to me and tell me, 'Thank you. You did things right,' then I will have been successful,” Kent said.
© Copyright 2007, Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
