Carl J. Cartwright of Port Byron, Ill., was formally appointed to the Senior Executive Service during a March 27 ceremony at Heritage Hall on Rock Island Arsenal, Ill.
Cartwright is U.S. Army Sustainment Command's executive director for Field Support. In that position, he leads an organization that oversees the Army's prepositioned equipment mission and also has responsibilities in areas such as operational planning, logistics assistance and materiel management.
The Senior Executive Service is a corps of federal executives appointed to key leadership positions just below the level of Presidential appointees, and includes most managerial, supervisory and policy positions in the executive branch of the federal government classified above General Schedule grade 15 or its equivalent. SES members within the Department of Defense are considered the equivalent of general officers. Cartwright's appointment brings the total number of SES members at Rock Island Arsenal up to six.
Maj. Gen. Robert M. Radin, commanding general of the U.S. Army Sustainment Command, presided at the ceremony.
Cartwright's wife, Barbara, placed the SES pin on his lapel. Radin and ASC Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen D. Blake presented Cartwright with his SES flag.
During his remarks, Radin reviewed the highlights of Cartwright's military and civilian career and stated, "I couldn't think of a more qualified person to fill this position than Carl Cartwright.
"I am very pleased and honored to be part of the recognition for this Department of the Army civilian, this former Soldier who has served his country for more than 30 years," Radin said. "I'm extremely excited today."
Cartwright began his remarks by naming several influential people and key mentors who took an interest in his development throughout his more than 30-year military and civil career.
"These leaders saw something in me and served as coaches and mentors," Cartwright said. "This doesn't mean that the road was easy, but they guided and facilitated while delivering the hard knocks at the right time to keep me on the proper course.
"Today is about 'who packed my parachute,'" he added, "and all the great people who have contributed to my success."
A native of Washington, D.C., Cartwright was commissioned as an Army officer in 1978. He served as commander of the Army Materiel Command (Forward) - Southwest Asia and was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom before retiring from the Army in 2008 at the rank of colonel. Cartwright served as the executive officer to the ASC commanding general prior to taking over the Field Support Directorate.
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