ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- The Arsenal Island community said goodbye to seven of its members in a ceremony here in Heritage Hall Sept. 19.
Maj. Gen. John Wharton, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command and senior commander of Rock Island Arsenal, bestowed two Department of the Army civilians and five Soldiers with awards, certificates, flags and pins recognizing their accomplishments during their careers at the quarterly RIA Community Retirement & Retreat ceremony.
"These people we honor today are absolutely outstanding individuals who gave a lot of themselves during their careers," Wharton said. "They will be difficult to replace and sorely missed."
Wharton said the retirees represented more than 200 years of service to the nation. "They have given themselves selflessly in service to their country," he said.
"You've worked hard for many years," Wharton said after giving a brief history of the retreat ceremony. "We honor you today in this retreat and we're calling you home after your many years of sacrifice; giving you time to rest and providing us with the honor and opportunity to recognize and reward your service."
Those retiring in the ceremony were:
Teresa Brown, Army civilian, ASC; Peggy Meier, Army civilian, ASC; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Eric Dixon, ASC; Master Sgt. Blakely Green, ASC; Master Sgt. Andre James, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; Sgt. 1st Class Larry Burden, ASC; and Staff Sgt. Robert Morley, ASC.
A brief run down on each follows:
O Brown: Assumed duties as a lead program analyst in the G-3 (Support Operations) Requirements Integration Division, ASC, in October 2007. She began her 34-year government career as a GS-02 data transcriber in 1979 and advanced in grade to GS-13. A native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Brown devotes much of her spare time to programs and events with her place of worship, Bettendorf Christian Church. She has been married for 23 years and has a son attending college.
O Meier: Assumed duties as lead budget analyst, Mission Support Team, G-8 (Resource Management), ASC, in March 2009. A native of Davenport, Iowa, she has spent her entire 37-year career at RIA beginning as a student aide at the Rodman Laboratory in 1976. Brown is a member of the RIA Ladies Golf League. She enjoys scrapbooking, making crafts, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
O Dixon: Assumed duties as a member of the Property Accountability Branch, ASC, in September 2010. A native of Chicago, he enlisted in the Army as a unit supply specialist in 1993 and then attended Warrant Officer Candidate School in 2001. Dixon deployed and supported Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom, and served two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
O Green: Assumed duties as the G-3 (Support Operations) Schools noncommissioned officer-in-charge, ASC in January 2012. A native of Norway, S.C., he enlisted in the Army in 1993 as an automated logistical specialist. His deployments include two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Green is married to the former Sgt. 1st Class Lonie Marie Wilson. The couple has two children.
O James: Assumed duties as the Operations sergeant major, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, Regional Support Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany, in 2012. A native of St. Louis, he enlisted in the Army in 1991 as an automation logistics specialist. Later in his career, James served at ASC in the Distribution Management Center Supply Branch. His deployments include Operation Southern Watch and two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is married and has seven children.
O Burden: Assumed duties as the G-4 (Logistics) Operations Support and Compliance noncommissioned officer-in-charge, ASC, in August 2010. A native of Wheatland, Calif., Burden enlisted in the Army in 1992 as a heavy wheeled vehicle mechanic. His deployments include Operation Allied Force, two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. Burden is a recipient of the Maj. Gen. Aubrey "Red" Newman Award for Leadership Excellence. He is married and has four children.
O Morley: Assumed duties as a counterintelligence sergeant, ASC, in April 2010. A native of Kiel, Wis., he enlisted in the Army in 2005 as a counterintelligence special agent. His deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Morley is married. He and his wife have one child.
The commander of troops was Master Sgt. James Sennet, ASC.
Sgt. Maj. Brian Marone, Distribution Management Center sergeant major, assisted Wharton during the retirement awards presentations.
"These men and women made sure our Soldiers were ready with the equipment they needed, for any contingency, at anytime, anywhere around the world and made the Army a better place," Wharton said in closing remarks. "Now, as you leave our team, we will follow in their footsteps and learn from legacy."
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