USASAC welcomes Cordery, bids Burnley farewell at change of responsibility ceremony

HUNTSVILLE — Command Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Cordery assumed duties as the senior enlisted advisor for the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command during a change of responsibility ceremony today on Redstone Arsenal.

Brig. Gen. Allen Pepper, commanding general of USASAC, hosted the ceremony and transferred the USASAC colors from Command Sgt. Major Stephen A. Burnley to Cordery. The passing of the colors is a time-honored military tradition that symbolizes the passing of responsibility and authority from an outgoing command sergeant major to the incoming.

Pepper said Cordery had served around the world, including five counter-terrorism missions in support of U.S. Central, Indo-Pacific and Africa Commands.

“So he will not only meet the challenges he finds here but overcome them,” he said. “I look forward to him quickly gaining the confidence of the whole team; he already has mine.”

USASAC manages more than 6,000 Foreign Military Sales cases in nearly 150 countries, with a total value of $280 billion. Fiscal year 2024 brought in $42.8 billion in new business.

Pepper also noted that Burnley arrived at the right time and with the right skillset.

“His ability to zero in on problems and propose solutions made a tremendous impact during a two and a half-year period that saw foreign military sales climb to record setting levels each year,” Pepper said in noting Burnley’s role in helping him transition and understand USASAC’s mission of security and foreign military sales after he arrived in September 2024.

“With his background in air defense artillery, Command Sgt. Maj. Burnley’s expertise was exactly what was needed when demand for air defense systems for allies and partners went sky high after they saw U.S. systems perform in Europe and the Middle East.”

Burnley, referring to the number of FMS cases and dollar values, said, “That’s not just impressive on paper. That’s capability delivered to our allies and partners around the world who are better equipped, better trained, and more interoperable with our own forces — all thanks to the dedicated professionals in our security assistance enterprise.”

Pepper welcomed Cordery and his family to USASAC, describing them as a true military family. Cordery’s wife is an Army veteran, and both his sons are serving in the Army.

Originally from Baltimore, Cordery joined the Army in 1998 to become a military policeman. His leadership roles include team leader, squad leader, platoon sergeant, first sergeant, troop sergeant major, battalion command sergeant major and brigade sergeant major. He comes to Redstone Arsenal from White Sands Missile Range, N.M., where he served as the command sergeant major.

Cordery thanked Pepper for giving him the opportunity to serve as the command sergeant major and senior enlisted advisor to the team of professionals at USASAC.

“Although I have not worked directly in the FMS arena, the many embassies and partner forces I was embedded with across the globe were recipients of your hard work,” he said. “Training and equipping our partner and ally nations makes our relationships stronger, protects their nations, and is a shining example of deterrence which ultimately protects our nation and our warfighters.”

Burnley also expressed his appreciation for the soldiers he served with at AMC and USASAC.

“Your resilience, your adaptability, and your commitment to excellence inspire me,” he said. “I am better for having worked with these highly experienced and professional warfighters who are training the world, one soldier at a time.”

To the civilian workforce, Burnley said they are proof “that logistics, acquisition, and strategy are just as much warfighting functions as maneuver and fires.”