Ordnance Corps welcomes new regimental chief warrant officer

By Mr. Patrick Buffett (IMCOM)May 21, 2015

Charter presentation
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Richard C. Myers Jr., takes possession of the Ordnance Regimental Chief Warrant Officer charter during a May 14 change of responsibility ceremony in Ball Auditorium on the Ordnance Campus. Brig. Gen. Jack Haley, Chief of Ordna... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEE, Va. (May 21, 2015) -- Chief Warrant Officer 5 Richard C. Myers Jr., became the 9th Regimental CWO of the Ordnance Corps during a May 14 change of responsibility ceremony here in Ball Auditorium on the Ordnance Campus.

A 27-year Army veteran, Myers previous assignments include stints as a battalion maintenance officer; a senior ordnance logistics officer; proponent for Warrant Officer Leader Development and Education, Warrant Officer Career College, Fort Rucker, Ala.; and commander, 1st Warrant Officer Company, U.S. Army Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker.

At his last assignment prior to Fort Lee, Myers was the senior ordnance logistics and warrant officer advisor for the 1st Infantry Division commanding general at Fort Riley, Kan. He brings a wide range of leadership and force development skills to his new position as well as experience from deployments to Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq.

Brig. Gen. Jack Haley, Chief of Ordnance and commandant of the Ordnance School, presided over the ceremony in which the RCWO charter was transferred from Chief Warrant Officer 5 Terry W. Hetrick to Myer. The outgoing chief has been reassigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

Heralding Hetrick's accomplishments over the past three years, Haley said in his remarks he has everything the Ordnance Corps looks for in a warrant officer. "He is aggressive, innovative and agile," he said. "He doesn't take no for an answer. He pushed through initiatives that were seemingly impossible. He is pure determination."

Hetrick "revolutionized" the Ordnance Corps' approach to warrant officer training and leader development, according to Haley. He spearheaded the launch of a pilot training-with-industry program last year that is putting young leaders in the maintenance bays and customer service offices of local businesses. That effort is broadening the maintenance core competencies of warrant officers and, in the long run, will reduce the Army's dependency on high-cost contracted logistics support during deployments.

"There is no question about it, Terry Hetrick served as an outstanding professional developer of warrant officers," Haley said. "He is responsible for much of the logistics leader development strategy at ALU. He provided the impetus for placement of (Ordnance) CW5s in each of the program executive offices … giving us the opportunity to shape future capabilities in support of the joint war-fighter. He initiated a (professional development) strategy that places CW3s at arsenals and depots, better preparing them for service as future senior warrants. He was instrumental in redefining the warrant officer professional development model, identifying both operational and institutionally broadening assignments that will afford them the perspective needed to be agile, adaptive technicians and leaders needed to win the complex wars of the future.

"Terry, I thank you for your professionalism and your commitment to the regimental team and the corps as a whole," Haley said. "You have been the true champion of initiatives that will have a positive impact on the Corps and its warrant officers for many years to come. I am honored to have served with you and to know you as a friend."

Referring to Myers as an "equally outstanding" warrant officer, Haley said his selection as the RCWO was the result of an arduous screening process.

"I asked each candidate, all of the senior CW5s who wanted this job, to write a white paper on the future of sustainment in support of unified land operations," the ordnance chief explained. "It was the best way to assess their thought process and ability to shape the corps for what it needs to do in the future.

"CW5 Rich Myers is clearly the right person for the job," Haley continued. "He is a combat-seasoned officer with multiple deployments. … He is an adaptive, agile and innovative technical expert with the right mix of critical thinking skills and a common-sense approach to problem solving. These are the qualities we need to help shape the Ordnance strategic vision in ways that will address the critical warrant officer challenges of 2025."

In his farewell remarks, Hetrick thanked each of key leaders in the command group and dozens of supporting officers, NCOs and civilians throughout the Ordnance School and Fort Lee for their support during his tenure as RCWO. "I had the opportunity to work with some great individuals while serving in this position," he said. "(Former commandants) Maj. Gen. (Clark) LeMasters Jr., who is now the (Army Material Command) G-3. Brig. Gen. (Edward) Daly, who is now the chief of staff at AMC. And Brig Gen. Jack Haley, soon to be the commanding general of the 593rd Sustainment Command. All of these individuals truly provided a good example of what mission command is all about."

Later, Hetrick summed up the ordnance duties he has performed for more than 30 years.

"Maintenance and ammo in the Army is a dirty business," he said. "It's hard and tiring work that doesn't always get the appreciation it deserves. Everyone else in the Army breaks combat power, we're the only ones who build it. Our work isn't pretty, but it sure looks good when that tank rolls out of the (maintenance bay). I'm forever thankful to have had this opportunity to serve as the voice of our warrant officers in the field."

Myers kept his remarks short, saying he considered it an honor, privilege and absolute blessing to serve as the 9th Regimental Warrant Officer of the Ordnance Corps.

"I recognize the unknown and ever-changing (future) operating environment coupled with the continuous process of rapid technological advancement requires a community of ordnance warrant officers who are trained and educated to the highest standards, who demonstrate a commitment to being self-learners, and to understand their expertise is an essential part of any organization," he said. "Brig. Gen. Haley, thank you for the opportunity to serve the Ordnance Corps and its great Soldiers. Thank you for your support and confidence in my abilities."

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