FORSCOM, USARC Forward Team Celebrates 236th Army Birthday

By Jim Hinnant, U.S. Army Forces Command Public Affairs (Forward)June 14, 2011

FORSCOM, USARC Forward Team Celebrates 236th Army Birthday
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FORSCOM, USARC Forward Team Celebrates 236th Army Birthday
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (L-R) Colonel Jeffrey Kelley, FORSCOM deputy chief of staff, looks on as Spec. Josiah Simpson, Army Ground Forces Band; Ronna Garrett, officer in charge, FORSCOM (Forward); and Sgt. Maj. Jerry Edwards, FORSCOM G3 (Forward), cut an Army Birthday Cake,... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
FORSCOM, USARC Forward Team Celebrates 236th Army Birthday
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FORSCOM, USARC Forward Team Celebrates 236th Army Birthday
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Ronna Garrett, officer in charge, FORSCOM (Forward), and Dan Davis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FORSCOM/USARC Headquarters Project resident engineer, pose with the commemorative Army coin Garrett had just presented to Davis for his dedicated work ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- Senior Leaders, Soldiers, Army civiians and key players in the construction of the new U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM)/U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC) Combined Headquarters Construction Project came together in the new facility to celebrate the 236th Birthday of the U.S. Army, and the near-completion of the project - which is set for June 21, 2011.

Ronna Garrett, officer-in-charge, FORSCOM (Forward), hosted the ceremony, which was attended by representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USARC and the prime contractor for construction of the new headquarters - Hensel Phelps Construction Co.

"Today, we have gathered in this magnificent new headquarters building to celebrate our

Army's 236th birthday and thank Hensel-Phelps (Construction) and the Army Corps of

Engineers for their hard work and dedication to providing Soldiers, Army

Civilian and contractors a world-class home," Garrett said. "It is fitting that today, we celebrate two momentous occasions--the Army's 236th birthday and the substantial completion of this 631,000 square foot facility."

After a group rendition of the traditional "Happy Birthday to You" in this case, sung to "America's Army," Garrett invited the oldest Soldier present, Sgt. Maj. Jerry Edwards, of FORSCOM G3 (Forward), and the youngest Soldier present, Spec. Josiah Simpson, of the Army Ground Forces Band to join here in cutting the Army birthday cake with a traditional saber.

FORSCOM and USARC now have more than 1,000 Soldiers and Army civilians working here, with the intitial move in of selected staff members to the new building set for July 5. By the end of the summer, nearly 3,000 members of the two commands will have moved here, and the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure legislation-directed relocation of the two command headquarters from Fort McPherson, Ga., will be complete.