AMCOM First Sergeant Honored For Leadership

By Ms. Kari Hawkins (AMCOM)November 4, 2015

RETIRING FIRST SERGEANT THOMAS HONORED
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Curt Schultheis, commander of the Aviation and Missile Command's Headquarters and Headquarters Co., presents First Sgt. Joe Thomas a framed AMCOM HHC guidon during Thomas' retirement ceremony on Oct. 23 at Heiser Hall. To their right is Maj. Tra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
FAMILY PROUD OF SOLDIER
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – First Sgt. Joe Thomas with his family -- from left, wife Stephanie, a pre-school teacher; daughter Hope, a student at Valdosta State University, Ga., where she participates in the Air Force ROTC program; daughter Jodie, who just graduated from Huntin... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Confidence and the ability to keep an open mind when considering solutions to a problem -- those are the marks of a successful first sergeant.

And on Oct. 23, as First Sgt. Joe Thomas retired with 22 years of service during a ceremony at Heiser Hall, those words were used to describe his abilities to lead Soldiers for the Aviation and Missile Command's Headquarters and Headquarters Co.

"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions and the compassion to listen to the needs of others … As long as I've known him, Joe always listens to all sides of the story before making a strong decision or recommendation, whether it's a hard one or easy one, and has the confidence to stick with his decision to through the end," said AMCOM HHC commander MAJ Curt Schultheis.

"It may not be what the majority is thinking or what he thinks someone else wants to hear. But it's something that he feels is right based on his experiences in life and the values his family and the Army have instilled in him."

Even though Thomas was retiring, that didn't mean his duties as a leader were coming to an end, Schultheis said.

"You as a leader are not stopping and starting over," he told Thomas. "Whether you are in uniform or civilian clothes, you are going to be successful because of the leadership qualities that you have. The quality of your actions and the integrity of you intent will take you far …

"I am honored to have served with you and had the opportunity to learn from your leadership qualities."

Thomas told family and friends attending the ceremony, including AMCOM chief of staff Col. Todd Royar, Garrison commander Col. Bill Marks and Madison Mayor and military retiree Troy Trulock, that he is thankful for the support Soldiers receive from the entire Redstone and Huntsville/Madison communities.

"You guys never fail to support Soldiers and its greatly appreciated," he said.

Thomas said that the scariest times in a Soldier's life is right after they swear in for service and right after they leave military service.

"You've got to have a plan when it's time to go," said Thomas, who will also be receiving his master's degree in December. "I'm very proud of retiring here. I'm very excited about the future."

He recalled a time when, as a teenager, he and his grandfather -- two "shade tree" mechanics -- struggled together under a car engine for three hours to get a part placed correctly.

"I finally got it clicked into place," Thomas said. "My grandfather turned to me and said, 'Good job, Joe. How did you do it?' I didn't really know. My grandfather looked at the car and back at me and scratched his head and said, 'I'd rather be lucky than good anyways. No one ever sees lucky coming.'

"In my career, there was a lot of luck. There was a lot that nobody saw coming. The Army made me a better person, no doubt."

Thomas enlisted as a personnel actions specialist in the Army's Human Resources Command in 1993, and had 15 assignments in 20 years of service. His HR career began in Casualty Operations, working in morgues at Fort Carson, Colo., and then at Fort McPherson, Ga., where he processed actions and assisted the families of deceased Soldiers with things like benefit counseling.

He then went on to serve in various HR capacities with the 732nd Military Intelligence Battalion at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; with an active component/Reserve component at Fort Gilliam, Ga., including Hurricane Katrina relief efforts; with the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry at Fort Benning, deploying to Iraq in 2009-10; and at Fort Benning, Ga. and the Forces Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. When Redstone Arsenal called as his next assignment, Thomas was ready for the responsibilities of serving as the top senior enlisted Human Resources sergeant for ACC and then as the 1st sergeant for AMCOM HHC.

Describing Thomas as a "teammate, battle buddy and friend" whom he has known for a decade, guest speaker Maj. Travares Tukes of the Human Resources Command said Thomas gave "exceptional service at every level he served … The truth is, First Sgt. Thomas is the most professional non-commissioned officer I've had the honor to serve with … He has turned every challenge into a success."

As a young Soldier working casualty operations, Thomas honored the fallen while caring for family members. As a drill sergeant and a senior Human Resources sergeant, he coached, trained and mentored young Soldiers with the "Be, Know, Do" values. Tukes read several letters of appreciation from Soldiers to Thomas. He also mentioned Thomas' fun side, mentioning his "wedding of the century" to wife Stephanie, and his skills at Karaoke singing and dancing to Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." He talked about Thomas' commitment to his family of "beautiful ladies" and his soon-to-be born son.

"We are better citizens because of your work," Tukes said. "As you embark on new adventures, you will continue to set examples and take care of people … Thank you for your service, commitment and dedication."