FORT SILL, Okla. (March 13, 2014) -- Soldiers in the Air Defense Artillery School and post leaders said goodbye to outgoing commandant and chief of ADA, Brig. Gen. Donald Fryc and welcomed a familiar face -- Col. Christopher Spillman.
Spillman is returning as the 40th ADA commandant and chief of ADA after serving at the Fires Division of the Army G8. Prior to that assignment, Spillman was the ADA School assistant commandant.
"I went to bed one night and I had this crazy twisted dream that I left Fort Sill and I found myself serving in the Pentagon in the Army G8, building this little thing we call the [program objective memorandum] for the field artillery and the air defense artillery, only to awake the other day to find myself in bed at the Comanche House," said Spillman. "It seems like I had one of those Dorothy 'Wizard of Oz' there's no place like home moments."
During the change of command ceremony March 7 in front of McNair Hall, Spillman thanked the commanding general and said he is humbled by his new leadership role.
"Sir, I want to thank you in particular for the confidence that you've expressed in me and my ability to do this job."
Spillman went on to say working with Fryc was, and will continue to be, a privilege. The two have collaborated efforts before working here when Spillman was the commander
of 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and Fryc was the 32nd ADA deputy commander.
"It's just an absolute privilege to follow in your footsteps. It became abundantly clear after you arrived that you were going to have a huge impact in the branch and without a doubt you certainly did," said Spillman. "I, as the commandant, look forward to helping you deliver trained and ready [Air and Missile Defense] capabilities to our combatant commanders."
Fryc is moving on to command the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bliss, Texas.
"Even though Don was placed in an office setting he is first and foremost a warfighter," said Maj. Gen. Mark McDonald, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general. "He relentlessly ensures the Air Defense Artillery School's training, education, leader development strategies produced only the highest caliber Soldier and leaders for our operational forces."
McDonald said Fryc's direction and guidance led directly to the ADA school being designated as an institution of excellence following the 2013 TRADOC accreditation with a score of 99 percent.
"He dedicated and directed and integrated the Army Learning Model into the air defense schoolhouse which has led to significant improvement in our training and leader development."
Before leaving, Fryc asked everyone in attendance a question: "What do Major General John Schofield, Lou Gehrig and those Philadelphia musicians Boyz to Men have in common?"
Fryc weaved the answer into his farewell speech starting out with the Schofield's definition of discipline and how to be a great leader.
"During my last two years here I've been a witness to no finer representation of that corresponding spirit that springs from the breast of the commander and ends up permeating across the entire command than I have by Major General McDonald and [Command Sgt. Maj. Dwight] Morrisey.
He then paraphrased Lou Gehrig's speech in his own words.
"Today I consider myself the most blessed man on this earth. I'm just simply speaking to the honor I have had of serving alongside of you."
As far as Boyz to Men, Fryc referenced their song "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday."
"If your yesterdays are filled like mine have been ... it's hard, but it [isn't] hard because the memories are so deeply cherished and I'm so deeply thankful for them."
Fryc said he didn't choose who his predecessor would be, but if he had the choice, it would have been Spillman.
"It's just such a personal and professional pleasure to know today that you're going to take over as the 40th commandant of this great branch and without question you're the man that's going to lead us in the right direction as we go toward the future," said Fryc.
Fryc closed saying his departed mother and father are never far from his heart. He said he is thankful for his last few days here because it gave him the chance to meet a Vietnam veteran who knew Fryc's father.
When he saw the veteran wearing a hat with the 1st Aviation Brigade on it he asked him when he served.
"He told me and it exactly matched my dad's years of service. I said 'Did you ever know 1st Sgt. Fryc during that tenure?' and no kidding this guy said, 'First Sgt. Fryc! He's the reason I got promoted. I wouldn't have been in the Army and made it a career if not for him. Tell him Bobby Bush loves him and thank you.'"
"My dad is passed away obviously, so it really was an emotional moment for me. To know after all this time that this gentleman had been carrying that around in his heart and on my remaining few days at Fort Sill he got to say something that I needed to hear as affirmation of how much I missed my dad in my heart."
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