A discontinuation ceremony will be held at Fort Knox about 4 p.m. Wednesday, signifying the inactivation of U.S. Army Accessions Command and highlighting its accomplishments of meeting the Army's personnel strength requirements since its inception nearly ten years ago.
The ceremony, hosted by Gen. Robert Cone, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, will occur by the Lt. Gen. Timothy J. Maude Complex flagpole and end in a traditional Retreat ceremony to represent the end of the day for the command as well as its signing off salute to the American flag.
Accessions Command headquarters, led by Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, moved to Fort Knox from Fort Monroe, Va., in May 2010 and also took over the installation's senior command duties from the U.S. Army Armor Center. On April 19, 2011, the office of the Secretary of the Army announced the inactivation of Accessions Command as a cost-cutting measure. It is expected that 130 civilian, 65 military, and 290 contractor positions will be eliminated in this action, resulting in an estimated savings of $50 million.
U.S. Army Recruiting Command and U.S. Army Cadet Command--each located at Fort Knox--will continue the Army's mission of sustaining an all-volunteer Army force and will report to Training and Doctrine Command.
The discontinuation of the command must be completed by Sept. 30, 2012. Brig. Gen. Jefforey Smith, who recently returned from deployment as the assistant commanding general of the Afghan National Police Development for Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, will lead the Army Accessions Command Inactivation Task Force.
Upon conclusion of the ceremony, Cadet Commander Maj. Gen. Mark McDonald will become the Fort Knox senior commander.
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