New leadership era for AMCOM

By Skip VaughnJune 13, 2012

Change of Command
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Team Redstone bid farewell Friday afternoon to retiring Maj. Gen. Jim Rogers and welcomed incoming Maj. Gen. Lynn Collyar.

Collyar succeeded Rogers as commander of the Aviation and Missile Command and senior commander of Redstone Arsenal in a change of command ceremony in the mostly-filled, 650-seat Bob Jones Auditorium.

Rogers, who commanded AMCOM since September 2010, retired after 33 years of service.

"To my AMCOM family, thank you all for what you've done and what you'll continue to do in the future," he said.

He and his wife, Reba, and their four children will remain in the local community.

Gen. Ann Dunwoody, commander of the Army Materiel Command, officiated at the ceremony. She presented to Rogers the Distinguished Service Medal; the Gen. Brehon B. Somervell Medal of Excellence as a multifunctional logistician; a letter from the U.S. commander in chief and a presidential certificate of appreciation; letters of appreciation from senators, representatives, the Army chief of staff and vice chief of staff; a U.S. flag; and a certificate of retirement.

"Not only did Jim do it all, he and his team did it well," Dunwoody said.

She welcomed "another tremendous leader," Collyar, who was a 1979 West Point classmate of Rogers.

"We're so fortunate to have him take the reins at AMCOM," Dunwoody said.

A Huntsville native, Collyar served as the director of logistics operations for the Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., since August 2010.

"I look forward to working with all of you," Collyar said, "Army Strong."