New commander ready to serve

HEIDELBERG, Germany-- Friends, families, community and military leaders from the Heidelberg, Mannheim and Kaiserslautern communities gathered at Patrick Henry Village Pavilion in Heidelberg to witness one of the military’s most timehonored traditions July 7.

After a two year tenure, outgoing U.S. Army Garrison Baden-Württemberg’s Col. William Butcher relinquished his command to Col. Bryan DeCoster.

DeCoster, a native of Bangor, Maine, most recently served as the Enlisted Military Intelligence

Branch Chief and Chief of Operations Support and Effects Division at Human Resources Command and has also completed military tours in the Darmstadt and Wiesbaden

communities.

“I look forward to this outstanding opportunity to serve the units, Soldiers, civilians and families

in the Heidelberg, Mannheim and Kaiserslautern communities, just as other Army communities

have cared for me, my family and my Soldiers and civilians during more than 24 years of service. I

can’t think of a better place to command and serve than in United States Army Europe,” DeCoster said.

“I would like to thank Col. Bill Butcher and his wife Sandra for a great transition despite very limited time. I can see your leadership, professionalism and certainly caring reflected throughout the garrison and I wish you all the best,” he added.

As cloudy skies gave way to beaming sunlight and warm July temperatures, Butcher made his final remarks most of which were focused on recognizing others in the garrison.

“I am most proud of the people I served with,” Butcher said.

“It is my obligation here today to thank those who are ultimately responsible for taking care of the Soldiers, civilians and family members who live, work and play in the Heidelberg, Mannheim and Kaiserslautern communities,” he said.

"Despite the looming inactivation of this garrison and some understandable level of uncertainty that they have, they not only continued to serve admirably but they have excelled and earned numerous accolades from IMCOM, the Army and the Department of Defense.”

Butcher also gave a special thank you to his wife Sandra for her support during their time here while others shared their own warm words of appreciation for her many hours of volunteerism

throughout the community, particularly with Army Community Service and the German-American Friendship Club.

Acting Director of Installation Management Command Europe Region Kathleen Marin also spoke at the ceremony where she praised Butcher for his leadership during each phase of the Round 56 announcement and the many accomplishments he leaves behind.

“He superbly led transformation efforts on an aggressive timeline to help U.S. Army Europe achieve its rebasing and stationing objectives enabling the command to move and merge and inactivate numerous units and to do the tough job of closing or consolidating installations to

achieve efficiencies,” Marin said.

After the ceremony several guests formed a lengthy line to give Butcher and his wife Sandra a final handshake and hug.

Soldiers from Headquarters, Headquarters Baden-Württemberg served as members of the official color guard and the U.S. Army Europe quintet provided music during the ceremony.

U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army commander Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling and Soldiers from USAG Kaiserslautern also attended the ceremony.

Butcher and his wife Sandra have already returned to the United States where he will prepare for his next assignment as the Plans Chief for Stability Operations within the Commerce and Development Directorate of NATO forces in Afghanistan.