It is so hard to say goodbye. It has been a privilege and honor to serve this community and this nation.
God blessed my family when He gave me the opportunity to command here at Fort Detrick. It’s so ironic that Fort Detrick is where I started my military career over thirty years ago and where it will end July 11. I could not have planned a more perfect ending for my military career than to end it here among family.
Fort Detrick is in the midst of a transformation as a result of our excellence in medical research, materiel management and strategic communications. The dramatic changes that are occurring on this installation are due to my very wise predecessors.
I have watched in awe at the emergence of the National Interagency Biodefense Campus and the remarkable infrastructure improvements around the installation. I am grateful for our partners for their support and commitment to reinventing Fort Detrick as the home of the National Confederation for Biological Research.
Our combined capabilities provide a resource that is vital to the nation. What a thrill it was for me to be a part of such an important endeavor.
The emphasis of my command has been building communities. I am so proud of the relationships with our housing partner, Balfour Beatty communities. They are responsible for providing the beautiful community for our military families.
We are also part of the Frederick community. The partnership between Frederick and Fort Detrick has never been stronger because we are leaders in the Frederick community and we are an integral part of the community fabric.
Our involvement in schools, planning and economic development and community events has been phenomenal. Frederick is truly an all-American city. My family and I will always treasure our memories here.
As I spoke of communities, I must give credit to the garrison personnel because they create and maintain this great place. The commitment and dedication is unsurpassed by these great civilians. Never throughout these past years has it been too hot, too cold nor too miserable for the workers to be out doing what they do best. It is with an incredible sense of pride that I can call on these individuals to ‘‘Get ‘er done.”
I would like to thank our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and their families.
I give tremendous credit and thanks to my fellow commanders and directors for their support and commitment to this installation. It has been a pleasure working with you.
I could not begin to thank all of those who have helped me over these past three years but I would be remiss if I did not recognize my Deputy, Eileen Mitchell. She has been my friend, my confident and my advisor. Her institutional knowledge and ability to build relationships were invaluable during this period serving Fort Detrick. It has been a pleasure working with such a outstanding individual.
In closing, I must recognize my battle buddies. I had the honor to serve with amazing Command Sergeant Majors, Command Sgt. Maj. Eugene Jeffers and Command Sgt. Maj. James Shaheen. There is no greater wisdom than that of the Command Sergeant Major.
I thank my battle buddies for their patience, candor and can-do attitude. They never let me forget the impact of decisions on the lives of Soldiers and their family. Thank you for keeping me grounded. I could not have imagined a better command team.
Farewell, my friends, ‘‘Goodbye isn’t painful unless you’re never going to say hello again.” I wish you the best, until we meet again. Stay safe and Army Strong.
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