U.S. Army Forces Command said farewell Tuesday to its chief human resources officer as Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Seamands, FORSCOM Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, was awarded the Legion of Merit. He has served the command since August.
His wife, Melissa, was awarded the Dr. Mary E. Walker award for demonstrating dedicated and exemplary volunteerism as an outstanding military spouse.
"We're real thankful for what Tom Seamands has done for us in the last year," Gen. David M. Rodriguez, FORSCOM commanding general, said. "We know he's been here just under a year. In that short year, though, he has done some amazing things because he always plans ahead, he knows the personnel system better than anybody in our Army and he also knows how to take care of soldiers."
Seamands is credited with many accomplishments, including management of the FORSCOM Senior Leadership Development Program and support for family programs.
Mrs. Ginny Rodriquez, in presenting the Award, credited Mrs. Seamands for stewarding the command's Army Family Action Plan conference and her interest in the local USO, among other volunteer achievements. "She's one of those people who does a lot of work behind the
scenes and you never even know she is there ... She always cares deeply," Mrs. Rodriguez said.
"She has the heart. She's grown up with serving soldiers and families and that just carries over in these very non demonstrative ways, where she's not out there larger than life promoting what she does, but she's doing it all the time consistently and she's done it while she's been here."
Mrs. Rodriguez said the command will miss Brig. Gen. and Mrs. Seamands' contributions. "They've been an amazing couple here at FORSCOM."
Mrs. Seamands thanked the audience for their support during her time here. "I'm very surprised and humbled by this recognition," she said. Her goal, she said, was to make a connection with people and for them to connect with her.
Brig. Gen. Seamands said his time with the command, while brief, was exceptional. "What a great command we have here at FORSCOM. What a wonderful place," he said.
Three factors made it exceptional: the leadership, teamwork and the entire G-1 team that he worked with on a daily basis, Seamands said. "I don't think I've ever been in an organization, especially an organization at this level, where everything is so smooth."
Seamands heads to Washington, D.C., to take over as Director of Military Personnel Management, Deputy Chief of Staff, G1, at Headquarters, Department of the Army.
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