JPED holds change of command and retirement ceremony

By Rachel Ponder, APG Garrison Public Affairs OfficeSeptember 13, 2010

JPED holds change of command and retirement ceremony
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Joint Personal Effects Depot 1st Sgt. Alfred Venham, center, holds the JPED guidon before passing it
to outgoing JPED Commander Lt. Col. L. Scott Kilmon, Jr., right, as Col. Richard Teolis, chief of the
Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation Ce... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)
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JPED holds change of command and retirement ceremony
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Outgoing JPED Commander Lt. Col. L. Scott Kilmon, Jr., left, Col. Richard Teolis, chief of the
Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center, center, and incoming JPED Commander
Lt. Col. Kelly Kyburz salute the national anthem during the JPED ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)
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The Joint Personal Effects Depot welcomed the incoming commander and paid tribute to the departing commander during a change of command ceremony on the terrace at Top of the Bay, Aug. 27.

Lt. Col. L. Scott Kilmon, Jr. relinquished command to Lt. Col. Kelly Kyburz.

JPED's mission is to process personal effects, or PE, of all Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guard, Department of Defense civilians and contractors injured or killed during Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.

The occasion also served as Kilmon's retirement ceremony. Kilmon was honored for 21 years of federal service.

Col. Richard Teolis, chief of the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center served as the program's host.

After the guidon exchange, Teolis thanked Kilmon for his dedication to JPED since 2006, and welcomed Kyburz.

"I believe our service members were fortunate to have had Lieutenant Colonel Kilmon overseeing the JPED operations,"

Teolis said. "I'm confident that Lieutenant Colonel Kyburz will continue its high standard of service. Our Soldiers and their Families need our support now more than ever, and the JPED mission and team deserve the highest level of leadership we can provide."

Teolis said that Kyburz has served as the JPED executive officer since 2006, and has the knowledge and experience to keep the JPED running smoothly.

During Kilmon's remarks, he said that he will look back on his Army career fondly. He added that the Army has given him many travel and career opportunities that he would not otherwise have.

Kilmon thanked those he had served with during his career.

"Today's professional Soldiers are the best in the world," Kilmon said. "It was a pleasure to serve with each and every one of you. I learned more from you, then you will ever know. I have made some life-long friends that I will never forget."

Kilmon said that serving as the JPED commander has been the most rewarding assignment of his career. He thanked Kyburz for serving as his executive officer and 1st Sgt. Alfred Venham for his support.

Kilmon also thanked his immediate and extended Family for their generous support during his Army career.

During Kyburz's remarks, she said it had been a pleasure serving with Kilmon and thanked his wife, Dawn for supporting JPED.

"You were an integral part of the JPED family, and you'll be missed," Kyburz said.

Kyburz said that she, along with Kilmon and Venham have been setting the stage for four years to create the permanent, dedicated facility for PE operations at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

"The new JPED will have significant contractor support, and we'll need strong leadership and teamwork to meet the high standards that Families of our nation's fallen heroes should expect," she said. "I look forward to working with the JPED team."

Lt. Col. L. Scott Kilmon, Jr. Kilmon received the Presidential Certificate of Appreciation for Service in the Armed Forces of the United States, signed by President Barack Obama. Kilmon also received the Certificate of Retirement from the Armed Forces of the United States of America, signed by Gen. George W. Casey, U.S. Army Chief of Staff.

Venham presented the retirement flag to Lt. Col. Kilmon. The flag was flown over the United States Capitol Building on Aug. 6 on the occasion of his retirement.

Kilmon's wife received the Department of the Army Certificate of Appreciation signed by Casey.

Kilmon was born in Easton, Md. He graduated from York College of Pennsylvania and was commissioned an infantry second lieutenant in May 1989.

Kilmon has held numerous assignments throughout his career including infantry platoon leader, company executive officer, and assistant S-3 in the 2nd Battalion 15th Infantry Regiment, in Schweinfurt, Germany; instructor, Army Logistics Management College, Fort Lee, Va.; advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Group S-3 and battalion executive officer, 49th Quartermaster Group, Fort Lee, Va. Chief, Professional Development Division and director, Logistic Training Department, Quartermaster Center and School, Fort Lee, Va.; Commander, JPED, APG.

Kilmon's military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Bradley Commander Course, Airborne School, Quartermaster Officer Advanced Course, Petroleum Officer Course, Combined Arms Services Staff School, Support Operations Officer Course and the Command and General Staff College.

Kilmon holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the York College of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science Degree in Administration in Information Resource Management from Central Michigan University.

Kilmon's awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medals, Meritorious Unit Citation and the Parachutist Badge.

Lt. Col. Kelly Kybyrz Kyburz is a native of Baltimore, Md. She received a Regular Army Commission in 1988 in the Signal Corps from Loyola College, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana University in 1997. Her military education includes Signal Officer Basic Course, Airborne School, NBC School, Civil Affairs Advanced Course, Logistics Management Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff College, Command and General Staff College.

Kyburz began her career as a cable and a multi-channel platoon leader in the 327th Signal Battalion (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C., and she deployed her platoon to Southwest Asia in 1990. She also served as the high frequency radio platoon leader and executive officer for the 327th Headquarters and Headquarters Company. She transitioned into the Army Reserve in 1993 and served in multiple positions in the 415th Civil Affairs Battalion in Kalamazoo, Mich. through 1998. These positions included detachment executive officer, assistant public officer. From 1998 to 2004, Kyburz served in several positions with increasing responsibility while assigned to the 99th C2 Brigade and the 656th Area Support Group at Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Pennsylvania. These positions included information management officer, communications and electronics officer, personnel staff officer, and commander of the 14th Ground Liaison Detachment. From 2004 to 2006, she was mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the plans and operations officer for the Directorate of Plans, Training Mobilization and Security at Fort Dix, N.J. Since 2006, Kyburz served as the executive officer for the JPED at APG.

Kyburz's awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Forces Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Saudi Arabia Liberation Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

JPED was activated in response to the terrorist attacks on American soil on 9/11. Originally located at Fort Myer, Va., the JPED processed the personal effects of service members and civilians who were casualities of the attacks on the Pentagon. In March 2003, the depot relocated to APG where the mission expanded to process the PE of service members from all branches as well as DoD civilians and contractors killed or injured during the ongoing overseas contingency operations.

JPED currently serves as a DoD centralized facility to collect, inventory and process the PE and transfer custody of PE from U.S. government control to individuals identified as the person eligible to receive effects. As the only organization of its kind in DoD, the JPED has pioneered and advanced the care and handling of PE to ensure it is delivered in a presentable and timely manner. Today the JPED is comprised of 101 civilian contractors and 22 military. The U.S. Human Resources Command and casualty and mortuary affairs operation center have command and control over the JPED.

JPED will relocate to a new facility designed specifically for the needs of its mission. This facility will be co-located with the Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, Del. The tentative date for occupancy is December 2010.