FORT LEE, Va. -- The U.S. Army Transportation Corps set upon a new path as Command Sgt. Maj. Allen B. Offord Jr. took the wheel and assumed responsibility for the regiment from Command Sgt. Maj. Dwayne B. Perry during a ceremony March 20 at the Transportation School on Fort Lee.
This change of responsibility is significant and marks a transition for the school and the Transportation Corps as it celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, said the Chief of Transportation Col. Steven E. Farmen, Transportation School commandant. This pivotal point in the corps' history also triggers a transition into retirement for Perry.
"Command Sgt. Maj. Perry is an icon in our Transportation Corps," said Farmen. "His relentless, passionate spirit, drive, and intent to move our corps forward, ensured our Soldiers were trained and developed to standard, had the right doctrine, materiel and equipment and were well taken care of … is inherent in everything he does."
Perry, whose military career spans more than 33 years in the Transportation Corps, will bid farewell to the Army during a formal retirement ceremony in April.
Following the official handing over of the regiment, Perry thanked his fellow Soldiers, family and friends for their support throughout his tenure in the ranks of the Army. Perry gave special thanks to his wife, Bonnie, who couldn't be at the ceremony because she's currently deployed as a contractor. He also said that it was important for the corps to continue moving forward with the emphasis on training.
Propelling the regiment forward now rests on the shoulders of Perry's protégé, Offord. Transportation Soldiers are fortunate to have a Soldier and leader of Offord's caliber to emulate, said Farmen.
For Offord, the new position and responsibility provides new opportunities to continue serving and making a difference for the Army, logistics and the Transportation Corps, said Farmen. The ceremony was also a reunion of sorts for Farmen and Offord, who previously met years ago during a deployment.
"I knew when I met him then, there was something special … and I made a mental note at the time that I hoped I would get to the opportunity to serve with him again," said Farmen. "Little could we have imagined that it would be in our current capacities … I couldn't be more pumped and enthused that it worked out the way it did."
Offord, who came from the 597th Transportation Brigade (Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., said that he and his wife, Cilicia, are excited to join the team at the Transportation School, which is a part of the Combined Arms Support Command.
"Change is constant, and embracing the change starts here and right now," said Offord to conclude the ceremony.
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