Col. Michael Graese will relinquish command of the U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Jackson on Friday, bringing an end to what he calls "the most challenging and rewarding assignment" of his career.
He anticipated many of the challenges, he said. Reductions in force had been a heated topic of discussion in Washington, D.C., long before Graese arrived at Fort Jackson in 2012. A government shutdown, changes in force-protection measures and the day-to-day supervision of life on a military installation also managed to keep life interesting, he said.
"Over the past three years, every single day has been totally unpredictable, and each day presented many opportunities to excel," Graese said. "Coming into command, I understood the Army was preparing to reduce our overall force structure, but I couldn't appreciate the full impact of the reduction of resources -- people and money -- on the installation."
Graese said the U.S. Army Garrison staff rose to each occasion and had been "nothing short of amazing."
"The Partners in Excellence on Fort Jackson have been similarly awesome to serve and serve with," he said.
Rod Celestaine became command sergeant major of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Jackson in August 2014. Before that promotion, Celestaine said, he had the chance to observe Graese in action as battalion command sergeant major of the 369th Adjutant General Battalion on post.
"I couldn't wait to get over here to work with him," Celestaine said. "You could tell he had an understanding of garrison operations and knew how to reach the people he was supporting."
Graese's dedication to Fort Jackson didn't stop when the workday is over, Celestaine said.
"It's the unseen things that he does, the personal sacrifices that he makes to stay on top of any of the garrison issues," Celestaine said. "I've worked with a number of people, but I've haven't worked with many people that sincerely care about the job they're doing -- or the support they give to Soldiers and their Families."
Today, Fort Jackson looks quite a bit different from the way it did when Graese arrived. Obsolete buildings and structures have been demolished, Hilton Field -- one of the post's busiest destinations -- received a facelift, and the post opened a 24-hour Child Development Center. All occurred under the guidance of the U.S. Army Garrison commander.
Graese won't be here to see one of the post's most historic changes come to pass, though. As garrison commander, he created a plan that included elements of the Army Training Center and U.S. Army Garrison Command in the post's new command headquarters. Garrison command offices now are attached to the post headquarters building on Jackson Boulevard, a World War II-era structure scheduled for demolition as part of the relocation project.
Graese's next stop is the Pentagon, where he will be executive officer to the assistant chief of staff for Installation management for the Department of the Army.
"The (Columbia) community lives up to its mantra of the 'most military-friendly city in America,'" Graese said, also speaking for his wife, Francie. "We have never felt so welcomed on such a scale as we have at Fort Jackson and in the surrounding community."
Graese will relinquish command Friday to Col. James Ellerson during a 9 a.m. ceremony at Post Headquarters.
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