Pohakuloa welcomes Peterson, bids aloha to Shwedo

By Michelle Thomas, Installation Management Command, PacificJune 20, 2014

Pohakuloa welcomes Peterson, bids aloha to Shwedo
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Pohakuloa welcomes Peterson, bids aloha to Shwedo
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii — Debra Zedalis (left), region director, Installation Management Command, Pacific shakes hands with Lt. Col. Eric Shwedo, outgoing commander, U.S. Army Garrison, Pohakuloa during an awards presentation prior to U... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii -- Lt. Col. Jacob Peterson took command of U.S. Army Garrison-Pohakuloa from Lt. Col. Eric "Tubby" Shwedo during a change of command ceremony, here, June 13.

"I look forward to the challenge knowing there is a great staff, leaders and community that helps us to be successful. I am proud of the work you have done, and we are committed to continue our excellence," Peterson said. "I'm sincerely honored to serve as the commander for the military's premier training facility in the Pacific."

Peterson comes to Hawaii from Leavenworth, Kan., where he served the U.S. Army Central Command as the Air and Missile Defense Division chief. He began his career in 1991 as an artilleryman in his local Colorado National Guard unit.

After an appointment to West Point, he was commissioned in the Infantry in 1996. Prior to his last assignment in Kansas, he worked on Oahu where he was the Southeast Asia counter-terrorism officer at U.S. Army-Pacific Command.

"We're excited to be back in Hawaii," said Peterson, "and I'm excited to see what you guys have done to improve the services to our warfighters who receive the top-notch training they deserve before going into harm's way. I'm looking forward to making this training facility even better in the future."

Peterson thanked the PTA staff for welcoming him and his family to Hawaii.

Region Director Debra D. Zedalis, U.S. Army Installation Command-Pacific, officiated the ceremony. Before a full house of community and government leaders at the post theater, she recognized and praised Shwedo for his achievements, noting his efforts to "listen and engage" the community "through concern and dedication."

"A leader's challenge … is to involve the community through communication, learning and understanding. With that framework, everyone gains a perspective and learns from each other," said Zedalis, "and nobody did it better than Lt. Col. Shwedo."

Zedalis also noted that environmental stewardship and world-class training support greatly contributed to the recent awarding of the 2014 Army Community of Excellence gold medal to USAG-Hawaii.

"That award is given to the best installation in the U.S. Army," added Zedalis.

Shwedo praised his staff for their passion in meeting the needs of service members who train at PTA.

"The bottom line, people who work here save lives," said Shwedo. "Pohakuloa employees do more with less than anybody across the Army."

Noting the large civilian attendance for the change of command, Shwedo quipped that he was either excessively blessed or that the community was trying to get rid of him. After the laughter subsided, he noted that the employees at PTA had surpassed his expectations and that he and his family didn't want to leave, but he knows the training center is being left in good hands with Peterson.

Shwedo's next duty assignment is at the Pentagon.

Related Links:

USAG, Hawaii

USAG, Pohakuloa