Goodbye Task Force Q

By Chelsea Bissell, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public AffairsJanuary 30, 2015

Saying Goodbye
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GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- Those in the military community grow accustomed to seeing friends and colleagues come and go.

So, when the PCS of a Soldier causes a stir, people take notice.

For people who knew her, saying goodbye to Sgt. 1st Class Stacy Quillen meant losing one of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria's most valuable assets.

"She has been an all-star since I got here," said Capt. Andrew Higgins, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, USAG Bavaria. "She is by far the best (noncommissioned officer) I've ever worked with."

Before leaving Germany in December, Quillen served as the operations NCOIC for USAG Bavaria HHC. Trained and working in supply for most of her Army career, the move was a departure for Quillen who found herself supervising logistical operations, human resources, land and ammo, and equal opportunity actions for the company.

"I'm the go-to for the company," said Quillen. "It was needed when I arrived, and I kind of just went with it."

While Quillen excelled in managing her company's operations, her true gift was Soldier care.

"She's excellent with people," said Higgins, adding that Quillen has the ability to understand where individual Soldiers are lacking and then help them succeed.

"She's a turn-around specialist," he said.

Quillen set aside time every day to talk to each of her Soldiers, to check in on them, listen to them and offer guidance when their performance slipped. She viewed struggling Soldiers not as lost causes, but as individuals who needed direction.

"It's not just like, here is a problem Soldier, it's just that everybody has problems. And I take the time to actually listen to them and figure out a plan on how to make them a better person, which makes them a better Soldier," said Quillen.

"All Soldiers have the capacity to be a great Soldier," she added. "And all Soldiers have the capacity to do their jobs very well; you just have to take the time to actually mentor them. That's all it is, it's nothing special."

This ability to both connect with colleagues and complete multiple projects made Quillen the HHC's first choice to fill in as acting NCOIC of the company when 1st Sgt. James Yuras stepped up as acting garrison command sergeant major.

The choice to propel Quillen into this leadership position was an easy one, said Yuras. Her competence paired with her skilled problem-solving made Quillen the best candidate.

"She doesn't just say something's broken," said Yuras. "She says, 'this is broken and this is how you fix it.'"

Quillen recently arrived at Fort Benning, Georgia, where she is serving as the logistics NCOIC. She is accompanied by her husband, Staff Sgt. Matthew Quillen, and their 2-year-old son, Gunner.

As a dual-military family, Quillen says that she and Matthew quickly found a rhythm that balanced work and parenthood.

"When I leave work, I leave work in the office," said Quillen. "I take the time in the car to mellow out and then when I pick up my son it's all about him until I go to bed. I don't take work home with me."

"It really came very naturally," she added. "I have a deep love for the Army and I'm also a mother. I love my son so much. It just works out really well."

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