401st AFSB welcomes new command team

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan--The 401st Army Field Support Brigade welcomed its new commander and command sergeant major, Col. Matthew Ferguson and Command Sgt. Maj. Wendy Robinson, during a change of command and assumption of responsibility ceremony, July 31, at the Bagram Redistribution Property Assistance Team yard.

Brig. Gen. Donnie Walker, commanding general of 1st Theater Sustainment Command (Forward)/3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), who presided over the ceremony, welcomed Ferguson and Robinson to the team.

"Although we bid farewell to a great command team, the Army always gets it right and replaces them with another set of outstanding leaders. This is absolutely the case today as we welcome Col. Ferguson and Command. Sgt. Maj. Robinson," he said. Walker went on to discuss the new command team's hosts of leadership experiences in both peace and war, and at the tactical, operational and strategic level of logistics.

Walker also thanked Col. Edward Burke and Command Sgt. Maj. Willie Odoms for leading the brigade's more than 21,000 Soldiers, Army civilians, and contractors during the last year.

Over the last year the 401st AFSB has had to shift some of its focus. They had to continue to provide equipment to units coming into theater, while simultaneously supporting the retrograde, reset, and redistribution mission. And they have done it with the utmost professionalism and dedication that we have come to expect of this team, he said. Be it their operational mission or taking care of theater Warfighters, Coalition soldiers, and their own Soldiers, Department of Army Civilians, or thousands of contractors -- Col. Burke and Command Sgt. Maj. Odoms were the 'First to Make a Difference'.

Ferguson, who is new to the Army Materiel Command, AMC, family expressed his appreciation for the command's forward capabilities in support of the Warfighter.

"As a career logistician, I have been the benefactor of AMC's support on the battlefield beginning with my first deployment 24 years ago as a maintenance company shop officer during Operation Desert Shield," Ferguson said. "My appreciation for AMC's forward capability was prevalent in every deployment thereafter."

He also thanked Burke and Odoms for the smooth transition and congratulated both on their successes during their time in command.

"The accomplishments of the 401st Army Field Support Brigade over the past year are unprecedented. This brigade truly represents the strength of our Nation and our Army," Ferguson said. "God speed to Col. Burke and Command Sgt. Maj. Odoms as they depart this theater after a job well done."

Ferguson, who is arriving from the Pentagon where he served as the chief of the readiness division in the Army G-3/5/7, Operations, Plans and Policy department, is a native of Alabama. His awards and decorations include three awards of Bronze Star Medal, two awards of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and five awards of the Army's Meritorious Service Medal. The Southwest Asia Service Medal, Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals, Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, and the NATO Medal have been awarded for his deployments and he has earned Combat Action Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge throughout his career.

Burke's next assignment will be the U.S. Army Europe G-4 in Wiesbaden, Germany, and Odoms' next assignment will be as the G-4 sergeant major with the 18th Airborne Corps in Fort Bragg.