Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Rapp of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division addresses soldiers at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, in 2019. (Jason Koontz/U.S. Army)
AUSTIN, Texas — The noncommissioned officer set to take the top enlisted position at Fort Bliss will no longer get the job after an Army investigation found allegations that he misused government resources to be credible, officials at the west Texas Army post said Thursday.
Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Rapp moved to Fort Bliss last month from his position as the operations and training command sergeant major for III Corps at Fort Hood, which is also in Texas, Fort Hood officials said.
“The investigation is complete, and the investigation determined the allegations to be founded,” Fort Bliss officials said. “We expect soldiers to adhere to our Army values and abide by our ethical obligations under federal law, and senior leaders of the 1st Armored Division are no exception.”
Rapp was set to become the next top soldier for the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss on March 3, the base said.
However, Maj. Gen. James Isenhower, the division commander, “received notification of a potential concern related to the improper use of government resources” prior to the ceremony and launched an administrative investigation known as a 15-6, Fort Bliss said.
The ceremony took place but only to mark the retirement of the division’s previous senior enlisted adviser, Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Williams.
Fort Bliss officials said Friday that they will not release the findings of the investigation or any further details due to privacy concerns. The findings will not be forwarded to the Army Criminal Investigation Division, base officials said.
The allegations against him did not occur while assigned to III Corps, Fort Hood officials said.
Rapp served as the command sergeant major of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo., before moving to Fort Hood in March 2019, according to a 2019 Army news release.
Command Sgt. Maj. Steve Devot of the 1st Armored Division’s artillery unit is serving as the acting division command sergeant major until a new candidate is selected, according to Fort Bliss.
