FORT RUCKER, Ala. (May 2, 2014) -- Hundreds of Soldiers, friends, Family members and co-workers saluted a combined 258 years of service to the country as nine Soldiers and one civil servant retired during a ceremony April 25 at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum.
Col. Jayson Altieri, 110th Aviation Brigade commander, spoke at the event about the importance of honoring the nation's retiring veterans and civil servants.
"The men and women we are going to recognize here today have served their country honorably, and now they will take on the title of retired veterans or civil servants," he said. "In the history of the United States, retired veterans and civil servants have held a special place in history, and their importance was recognized by none other than the first commander in chief, Gen. of the Continental Army George Washington, who once said, 'the willingness of which young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.'
"It's important that ceremonies like this today recognize our civil servants, recognize our retired veterans in front of their friends, their Families and their peers … because it does send a very special message to those who will come after us to serve," Altieri added.
The colonel also paid homage to the legacy left by retiring veterans and civil servants, taking umbrage with something a general officer once said to people suspect of the Army's transition and modernization, "This is not your grandfather's Army."
"While the statement may have been true, I would like to add the following caveat: were it not for those men and women who have served before us, both in civil service and as military veterans, we would not have the elite professional fighting force that the U.S. Army is today. And we owe them a round of applause," he said.
"The time that it will take today to recognize our fellow Americans and their Families may seem like a small trifle, but the message is powerful, and it is the least we can do for these great Americans and their Families who we recognize today," he added.
Maj. Terry Brooks
Brooks served 26 years in the military, culminating in an assignment as the chief of the doctrine branch, Directorate of Training and Doctrine. He served overseas in Hawaii, South Korea, the western Pacific with a Navy Amphibious Ready Group and Afghanistan. He stated the highlight of his career was being asked to return to active duty after 13 years to be the doctrine branch chief and having the full encouragement of his wife, Dianne. He and his wife plan to reside in Enterprise.
CW5 Johnny Silva
Silva served 31 years in the Army, culminating in an assignment as director, Warrant Officer Staff Course at the Warrant Officer Career College. He served overseas in South Korea, Germany, Hawaii, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, including multiple combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He said he considers the highlight of his career was serving with the 209th Aviation Support Battalion as the production control officer in Hawaii. He and his wife, Patricia, plan to reside in the local area.
CW5 Charles A. Miller Jr.
Miller served 30 years in the Army, culminating in an assignment as chief of the Aviation Survivability Development and Tactics Team with the Directorate of Training and Doctrine. He served overseas in Germany and the Balkans, along with combat tours in support of Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. He said the highlight of his career was serving as the brigade Aviation maintenance officer for the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade supporting and conducting combat operations in Iraq. He and his wife, Rena, plan to reside in Dothan.
CW4 Brian C. Williams
Williams served 23 years in the Army, culminating in an assignment as brigade maintenance officer for the 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group. He served overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany and Hawaii, including multiple combat tours in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He said the highlights of his career were meeting his beautiful bride, the birth of his two children, serving as a drill sergeant and being awarded a Bronze Star in Afghanistan. He and his wife, Ella, plan to reside in Cosby, Tenn.
CW4 Steven A. Haase
Haase served 26 years in the Army, culminating in an assignment as the chief pilot and C-12 regional program manager for the Office of Defense Cooperation Turkey and Defense Attaché Office, U.S. Embassy, Ankara, Turkey. He served overseas in Germany, South Korea, Turkey, Cyprus, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, including multiple combat tours in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He said the highlight of his career was to serve with great Americans world-wide. He and his wife, Susanne, plan to reside in Dothan.
CW4 Eric J. Stadler
Stadler served 21 years in the military, culminating in an assignment as a lessons learned analyst with the Directorate of Training and Doctrine. He served overseas in Turkey, South Korea and Iraq, including a combat tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He said the highlight of his career was flying medevac missions for the 57th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) in support of Iraqi Freedom. He and his wife, Kimberly, plan to reside in Enterprise.
First Sgt. Brian R. White
White served 20 years in the Army, culminating in an assignment as the first sergeant for A Company, 1st Battalion, 223rd Aviation Regiment. He served overseas in South Korea, Bosnia, Guatemala, Iraq and Afghanistan, including multiple combat tours in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He considers the highlight of his career traveling the world to help others while serving alongside America's finest Soldiers, paratroopers and leaders. He and his wife, Alison, plan to reside in Spring Lake, N.C.
Sgt. 1st Class Bret L. Clemens
Clemens served 22 years in the Army, culminating in an assignment as the CH-47 D and F maintenance test pilot course instructor and writer, 1-223rd AVN. He served overseas in Egypt, Germany, Kosovo, Macedonia and Afghanistan, including a combat tour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He said the highlights of his career were serving in OEF and his selection to the U.S. Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization at Fort Bragg where trained the Egyptian Air Force and helped them establish their Aviation life support program. He and his wife, Amy, plan to reside in the local area.
Sgt. 1st Class Joseph H. Samuel
Samuel served 22 years in the military, culminating in an assignment as the Public Health Command District-Fort Gordon's (Ga.) Pensacola (Fla.) Branch NCO in charge. He served overseas in Germany, and considers the highlight of his career serving as an Army health care recruiter to assist in commissioning the best-qualified professionals to render medical care to America's warfighters. He and his wife, Anita, plan to reside in Augusta, Ga.
Muriel L. Scott
Scott began her civil service career in 1976 at Fort Rucker. Her more than 37 years of federal service culminated in an assignment as a program analyst for the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence G3. She considers the highlight of her career supporting students in Aviation training. She plans to reside in Enterprise.
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