Robbins, a Philadelphia native, served in the Marine Corps for 30 years before his retirement. He assumed the duties of Marine Corps Base Quantico’s base sergeant major in December 2007.

‘‘It’s going to take some time to really know this base. Take your time, observe, and then just get in there and start kicking some dang doors down,” advised Robbins’ during the ceremony.

Thornton, a Warrenton, N.C., native, said that Quantico is a challenge.

‘‘This is no small job, by any means. Sgt. Maj. Robbins made sure he had pointed all that out to me,” Thornton said about his new role as the base sergeant major.

‘‘Being selected to be the sergeant major of Marine Corps Base Quantico is a surreal feeling,” he said.

Col. Dan Choike, commanding officer, MCB Quantico, spoke highly of Robbins’ ability to make an impression on himin the two short months they workedtogether.

‘‘I’ve only been here for two-and-a-half-months, and one would say, ‘What the heck could I gain from a man that’s on his way out’,” said Choike. ‘‘It was this man right here [who], in the very short period of time since I had taken over command, reminded me what’s most important and that’s the young Marines that we serve. He sat me down; he talked about what was important.

‘‘His personal leadership, individual concern that he has for the Marine, is what he taught me.”

Thornton expressed his desire to follow in Robbins’ footsteps as he takeshis post.

‘‘I promise you I will keep the same drum beat that you’ve already established. We may speed it up a little bit and we may raise the bar a little higher, but we will stay on the same course.”

Thornton was a squadron sergeant major for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, before coming to Quantico.