FORT RUCKER, Ala. (April 30, 2015) -- With a combined 738 years of service, 23 Soldiers and two civilians retired April 24 at the Fort Rucker Quarterly Retirement Ceremony in the U.S. Army Aviation Museum.
This quarter's retirees are listed below.
Lt. Col. Rodel Pasibe
Pasibe, deputy director of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence Concepts and Requirement Directorate, entered military service in 1994 as an infantry Soldier. He served in combat in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He said the highlight of his 21-year career was his assignment to Singapore as the only embedded American adviser to the country's air force and the first American to participate national-level exercise there. He and his wife, Rhonda, have three children and plan to reside in Dothan.
Lt. Col. Scott Capehart
Capehart, USAACE G3 strategic plans officer, entered military service in 1991 as an airborne infantryman. He served two combat tours in support of OIF. He said the highlight of his 20-year career was bringing home all transition team members after his last deployment to Iraq. He and his wife, Shannon, have three children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
Maj. Marcus Wong
Wong, Training and Doctrine Command Capability Manager-Unmanned Aircraft Systems division lead, entered military service in 1991. He served a combat tour in Iraq in support of OIF and Operation New Dawn. He said the highlight of his 25-year career was his ability to balance his service to his country and the needs of his family. He and his wife, Irma, plan to reside in Clearwater, Florida.
Maj. Reyna Andrel
Andrel, Air Traffic Services Command director of logistics, entered military service in 1991. She served three combat tours in support of OIF and Operation Enduring Freedom. She said the highlight of her 23-year career was serving as a company commander. She and her husband have two children and plan to reside in Slocomb.
CW5 Mark Taylor
Taylor, USAACE Concepts and Requirements Directorate capability developer, entered military service in 1981 as a field artillery forward observer. He served multiple combat tours in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm, OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 34-year career was teaching at Fort Rucker. He and his wife, Gladys, have two children and four grandchildren, and plan to reside in Ozark.
CW5 Robert Negron
Negron, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center Aviation safety officer course instructor, entered military service in 1984 as a smoke operations specialist. He served in multiple combat and imminent danger tours in support of Operation Restore Hope, Stabilization Forces Bosnia, OIF, New Dawn and OEF. He said the highlight of his 30-year career was reaching the pinnacle of his rank structure. He and his wife, Sharon, have two children and plan to reside in Sharpsburg, Georgia.
CW5 John Phillabaum
Phillabaum, ATSCOM chief of quality assurance and standardization, entered military service in 1988 as a warrant officer candidate. He served in multiple combat tours in support of Operation Desert Storm, OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 27-year career was flying high-ranking U.S. State Department officials to Pyongyang, North Korea. He and his wife, Kim, have two children and plan to reside "somewhere" in the United States.
CW5 Scott Nissen
Nissen, USAACE Organization Personnel and Force Development warrant officer division chief, entered the military in 1991 as an Aviator. He served a combat tour in support of OIF. He said the highlight of his 23-year career was being an instructor pilot teaching new Aviators how to fly the AH-64D at Fort Rucker. He and his wife, Tara, have two children and plan to reside in Dothan.
CW4 Barton Fischer-Steinkraus
Fischer-Steinkraus, Warrant Officer Career College senior instructor, entered military service in 1985 as an equipment records and parts specialist. He served eight combat tours in support of Operation Restore Democracy, OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 30-year career was serving as a Special Operations liaison officer at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. He and his wife, Danielle, have two children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
CW4 Christopher Wilson
Wilson, 2nd Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment senior warrant officer and standardization instructor pilot, entered military service in 1987. He served three combat tours in support of OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 27-year career was being named the Army Aviation Association of America 2004 Aviator of the Year. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
CW4 Ken Biddulph
Biddulph, 1- 212th Avn. Regt. chief of academics, entered military service in 1990 as a combat engineer. He served two combat tours in support of OIF and Operation New Dawn. He said the highlight of his 25-year career was flying missions in support of the Pentagon and National Capital Region during the 9/11 period. He and his wife, Heidi, have three children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
CW4 Andy Miller
Miller, 1- 223rd Avn. Regt. Executive officer and MedEvac pilot in command, entered military service in 1995 to attend the Warrant Officer Flight Training Program. He served combat tours in support of OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 20-year career was serving as the troop standardization pilot for Crazyhorse Troop, 6-17th Cavalry in Alaska. He and his wife, Lori, have three children and plan to reside in Fort Worth, Texas.
CW3 Jerry Wood
Wood, USAACE Gunnery Branch Kiowa Warrior master gunner, entered military service in 1994 as a combat engineer. He served multiple combat tours in support of OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 21-year career was serving with the Palehorse Squadron. He and his wife, Amber, have three children and plan to reside in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Sgt. Maj. Kelvin Hinkle
Hinkle, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy staff group adviser for the Sergeants Major Course at Fort Bliss, Texas, entered military service in 1983 as a flight operations coordinator. He said the highlight of his 32-year career was getting the opportunity to instruct at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Course. He plans to reside in McDonough, Georgia.
Sgt. Maj. Eric Peckham
Peckham, sergeant major for the Concepts and Requirements Directorate for B Company, 1-13th Avn. Regt., entered military service in 1985 as a scout helicopter repairman. He served a combat tour in support of OIF. He said the highlight of his 30-year career was earning the master parachutist badge. He and his wife (name not given) have two children, and plan to reside in Enterprise or Huntsville.
First Sgt. Gunnar Chambers
Chambers, 98th Army "Silver Wings" Band first sergeant, entered military service in 1986 as an Army musician. He said the highlight of his 28-year career was meeting and falling in love with his wife, Leslye. He and his wife have four children and plan to reside in northwestern Wisconsin.
First Sgt. Steven Thorman
Thorman, Aviation Center Logistics Command first sergeant, entered military service in 1990 as an aircraft structural repairer. He served multiple combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. He said the highlight of his 25-year career was being able to see the world with some of the finest Americans. He and his wife, Patricia, have two children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
First Sgt. Christopher Wood
Wood, USAACE Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization NCO in charge, entered military service in 1991 as a Black Hawk helicopter repairer. He served multiple combat tours in support of OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 23-year career was the day when he became an NCO. He and his wife, Kimberly, have three children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
Sgt. 1st Class Ralph Gray
Gray, Fort Rucker installation total Army sponsorship liaison, entered military service in 1992 as a signal support systems specialist. He served multiple combat tours in support of OIF. He said the highlight of his 23-year career was his tour at Fort Gordon, Georgia, home of the Army Signal Corps where he met his wife, Brenda. He and his wife plan to reside in Huntsville.
Sgt. 1st Class Paul Gentry
Gentry, TCM-UAS, entered military service in 1991 as an aircraft armament missile systems repairer. He said the highlight of his over 20-year career was developing the 15E course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. He and his wife, Renee, have four children and plan to reside in Melbourne, Florida.
Sgt. 1st Class Edward J. Williams Jr.
Williams, plans and operations NCOIC at Fort Eustis, Virginia, entered military service in 1995 as a personnel information systems management specialist. He served multiple combat tours in support of OEF. He said the highlight of his 20-year career was training and mentoring young human resources specialists just entering the Army when he was at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He has two children and plans to reside in Orlando, Florida.
Staff Sgt. Jennifer Cody
Cody, 1-212th Avn. Regt. S3 taskings NCO, entered military service in 1995 as a utility helicopter repairer. She served three combat tours in support of OIF. She said the highlight of her 20-year career was serving in Sinai, Egypt, supporting the Camp David Accords while working closely with 13 nations in the Multi-National Forces and Observers. She has three children and plans to reside in Cumming, Georgia.
Staff Sgt. Mario A. Gomez Jr.
Gomez, 110th Aviation Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company training NCO, entered military service in 1995 as a tank crew member. He served multiple combat tours in support of OIF and OEF. He said the highlight of his 20-year career was serving as a technical inspector for the CH-47D in Iraq, making sure aircrews had safe aircraft to carry out their daily combat missions. He and his wife, Heather, have two children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
Willie Faye Greenwood
Greenwood, Fort Rucker Directorate of Public Works construction representative, entered civil service in 1979. She said the highlight of her 35-year career was being nominated for Fort Rucker's Woman of the Year award. She has a daughter and plans to reside Enterprise.
Nancy Rasmussen
Rasmussen, Fort Rucker Public Affairs community relations chief, entered civil service in 1984 as a clerk. She said the highlight of her career was working alongside Soldiers in Balad, Iraq, as a national media escort. She has three children and 11 grandchildren, and plans to reside in Sun City, Arizona, during the cooler months and Kailua, Hawaii, in the warmer months.
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