451 years of service: 16 Soldiers, 2 civilians retire during quarterly ceremony

FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- With a combined 451 years of service to the nation, 16 Soldiers and two civilians retired from service during the Fort Rucker Quarterly Retirement Ceremony April 26 at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum.

Col. Brian E. Walsh, Fort Rucker garrison commander, hosted the ceremony with assistance from Command Sgt. Maj. Jasper C. Johnson, garrison command sergeant major.

Short write-ups on each retiree follow.

CW5 MICHAEL C. FIALA

Fiala, B Company, 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment Fixed Wing Branch chief, entered military service in 1987 as an infantryman. He was selected for warrant officer flight training in 1996. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom and Resolute Support. He said the highlight of his career was being a standardization instructor pilot with the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization at Fort Rucker. He and his wife, Kristine, have three children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.

CW5 LYNWOOD T. SAVILLE

Saville, director of standardizations for the USAACE DES, entered military service in 1994, going directly to warrant officer flight training. He served multiple combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said the highlight of his career was the relationships and lifelong friends he made through many adventures and different airframes. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.

CW5 DEVIN RICH

Rich, 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group standardization officer, entered military service in 1996 as a cavalry scout. He was selected for warrant officer flight training in 1999. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlight of his career was flying the Mi-17 with Afghanistan's special mission pilots in support of counter-terror narcotics operations. He and his wife, Jessica, have three children. They plan to reside in Grand Junction, Colorado.

CW5 MICHAEL T. MCKINNEY

McKinney, 1-212th Avn. Regt. chief of standardization, entered military service in 1996, going directly into warrant officer flight training. He served combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlights of his career were working with the best, most highly trained professionals in the world, being involved in shaping the future of Army Aviation while at Fort Rucker and being the first company standardization pilot to field the UH-72 Lakota. He and his wife, Sharron, have one child. They plan to reside in Granbury, Texas.

CW4 MICHAEL J. BECKER

Becker, DES Cargo Branch chief, entered military service in 1994 as a Marine security guard. He was selected for Army warrant officer flight training in 2002. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlight of his career was serving alongside the tremendous warriors that protect the nation. Becker and his wife, Nicole, have two children. They plan to reside somewhere in the Midwest.

CW4 WILLIAM M. HENDERSON

Henderson, B Co., 1-13th Avn. Regt. Standardization Utility Branch chief, entered military service in 1999 as a UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief. He was selected for warrant officer flight training in 2001. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlight of his career was serving alongside the uniformed men and women of the nation during his combat tours. He and his wife, Lucy, have two children. They plan to reside in Texas.

CW4 MATTHEW H. HERTL

Hertl, USAACE Flight Training Branch training developer and guest instructor pilot, entered military service in 1994 as a transportation officer. He was selected for warrant officer flight training in 2002. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlight of his career was being a Stetson trooper and Alpha 3-10 Warangel. He said he plans to continue flying.

CW3 BETTY W. GONZALEZ

Gonzalez, 597th Air Traffic Services Maintenance Detachment materiel manager, entered military service in 1997 as an automated logistical specialist. She was selected for warrant officer supply systems technician training in 2009. She served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and Joint Forge. She said the highlight of her career was meeting her husband, Christopher, who has been the pillar of her success in the military. They have two children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.

CW3 RYAN BROKAW

Brokaw, 71st Military Police Detachment (Criminal Investigation Command) commander, entered military service in 1999 as a counterintelligence agent. He was selected to attend the CID special agent course in 2003, graduating first in his class. He served two combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlights of his career were being selected for advanced civilian schooling as a forensic science officer and obtaining his master's degree. He and his wife, Kristen, have three children. They plan to reside in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

CW3 JAY HANSHAW

Hanshaw, 1-212th Avn. Regt. chief of standardization and maintenance examiner, entered military service in 1999 as a UH-60 Black Hawk mechanic and crew chief. He was the Fort Bragg, North Carolina Soldier of the Year in 2002 and later that year the Army Soldier of the Year. After deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia, and a tour to South America, he decided to become an Army pilot, and served in multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlight of his career was doing his best to make a difference and to help where help was needed -- no matter what. He has two children. He plans to reside in Enterprise with his fiancée, Martee.

CW2 TIMOTHY K. BEDSOLE JR.

Bedsole, Warrant Officer Career College training, advising and counseling officer, entered military service in 2001 as a fire directional controller. He was selected for Army Warrant Officer Candidate School as an air traffic airspace management technician in 2010. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations in Afghanistan. He said the highlight of his career was being a training, advising and counseling officer at the WOCC. He and his wife, Jennifer, have six children. They plan to reside in Slocomb.

COMMAND SGT. MAJ. MARVIN A. PINCKNEY

Pinckney, 1-11th Avn. Regt. command sergeant major, entered military service in 1989 as an air traffic control operator. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn. He said the highlight of his career was jumping out of perfectly flying aircraft on purpose. He has two children. He said he plans to hop on his Harley and tour the country.

1ST SGT. SHLONDA N. CALHOUN

Calhoun, logistics NCO in charge at Brooke Arm Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, entered military service in 1993 as a medical supply logistician. She has served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. She said the highlight of her career was taking care of the Army's most precious assets -- Soldiers and their families. She plans to reside in Pensacola, Florida.

1ST SGT. DAVID W. GREEN

Green, air traffic control operations chief for the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 164th TAOG, entered military service in 1994 as an air traffic controller. He served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said the highlight of his career was marrying his beautiful wife, Megan, and having three wonderful children. They plan to reside in New Brockton.

SGT. 1ST CLASS GERALD D. JOSEPH

Joseph, Skelly Stagefield facility chief, entered military service in 1995 as a Bradley turret mechanic and later became an air traffic controller. He served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said the highlight of his career was when he became a born-again believer in his Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He and his wife, Yolanda, have three children. They plan to reside in Jacksonville, Florida.

STAFF SGT. DENISE M. DE LA TORRE

De La Torre, dental NCO at the Brown Dental Clinic at Fort Rucker, entered military service in 1999 as a dental technician. She said the highlight of her career was being able to serve her country like her father and grandfather did. She and her husband, Jesus plan to reside in Columbus, Georgia.

RICK RUSSELL

Russell, 110th Aviation Brigade chief of academics, retired after 44 years of distinguished service. He served on active duty from 1975 to 2003 in field artillery and aviation. He said the highlights of his career were serving as standards officer at the National Military Command Center, Joint Staff, as well as nuclear code administrator for the president of the United States of America. He and his wife, Katherine, have two children and 2 � grandchildren. They plan to reside in Louisiana.

SANDRA R. EDWARDS

Edwards, Logistics Readiness Center accountable officer for the Supply Support Activity, Supply Support Division, retired after 38 years of distinguished service. She said the highlight of her career was receiving a nomination for the woman of the year award and working with many wonderful people throughout the years. She and her husband, Sidney, have several godchildren. They plan to reside in Ozark.