ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – Two Soldiers and a civilian left federal service March 12 to begin the next chapter of their lives, leaving a legacy of service to the nation.
Maj. Gen. Steven Shapiro, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, presided over the ceremony held in Heritage Hall. Assisting him in the presentations was Command Sgt. Maj. Marco Torres, command sergeant major, ASC.
“You do not retire from the Army unless you see your service to the nation as an affair of the heart,” said Shapiro during his opening speech thanking the retirees for their service. “It’s not about a paycheck.”
The island’s major organizations – First Army, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, and U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command – conduct a quarterly retirement ceremony to honor those ending their service and to thank their families for their support.
Those retiring were Lt. Col. Kathryn Carter, ASC; Master Sgt. Christopher Hart, ASC; and Karen Jill Puck-Grubbs, JMC.
Brief biographies of each retiree follow:
- Lt. Col. Kathryn Carter completes her career as the executive officer for the U.S. Army Sustainment Command - Army Reserve Element.
She is a native of Newburgh, Indiana. A 1999 military distinguished graduate of Wheaton College, Illinois, Carter was commissioned into the Medical Service Corps.
Carter was first assigned as an evacuation platoon leader in the 501st Forward Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany, when she deployed to Kosovo in 2000 in support of NATO stability operations. After spending more time in Germany, Georgia, and Kuwait, Carter separated from active duty in 2005. Upon joining the Army Reserve, she immediately deployed to Iraq. Carter had one more deployment to Kuwait before eventually landing back in the Midwest.
Carter has a master’s degree in public health from the University of Illinois-Springfield. She retires with the Bronze Star Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, and many other awards.
“I couldn’t have served without the support of family and friends,” Carter said.
She is married to retired Army Lt. Col. Bill Carter and has five children: Jon, Ben, Nate, Hope, and KC. She said she plans to spend part of her retirement as a stay-at-home mom.
Master Sgt. Christopher Hart is concluding his military career in his last assignment as the senior intelligence noncommissioned officer for the G-2 (Intelligence and Security) at ASC.
Hart started his career in 1997 as an infantryman in Weapons Squad, 1st Platoon, B Company, 1-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
He deployed as an intelligence noncommissioned officer in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and served as an enlisted aide-de-camp for the commander of U.S. Strategic Command in 2006. Hart again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009 and later supported Operation Inherent Resolve in 2015.
His wife is Melissa Hart, and they have two children, Conor and Camryn.
Hart’s notable awards include the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and two Meritorious Service Medals among others.
Hart said he plans to spend more time with his family and seek continued government service.
“I now face life with the confidence to overcome obstacles and the true appreciation for the good fortune that comes with the life and liberties of this great nation,” Hart said.
Karen Jill Puck-Grubbs concludes her more than 40 years of civilian government service as a logistics management specialist with JMC.
Puck-Grubbs began her career as a clerk-typist in 1979 with the U.S. Army Armament Materiel Readiness Command. In 1993, Puck-Grubbs earned a position as a computer specialist for 7th Signal Command-Army Information Processing Center. In 2004, she began working for the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command at Rock Island Arsenal. She transferred to JMC in 2007.
Puck-Grubbs received numerous awards throughout her career, including 21 Special Act awards and 11 individual performance awards.
She is married to Kevin Grubbs, and has three daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandsons.
Puck-Grubbs said she intends to travel, spend more time with family and friends, attend her grandsons' sporting events, and relax more during her retirement.
She thanked her coworkers and mentors for their support throughout her career.
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