JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- Maj. Gen. Timothy P. McGuire, U.S. Army Installation Management Command deputy commanding general, is bringing a close to a decorated 34-year career in a ceremony at the Fort Sam Houston Theatre May 28.
Lt. Gen. Doug Gabram, IMCOM commanding general, is hosting the ceremony for McGuire’s family, friends, co-workers and fellow military members this Memorial Day weekend.
“Memorial Day is bittersweet timing to gather to celebrate the career of Maj. Gen. Tim McGuire,” Gabram said. “As a five-time Infantry combat leader, Tim knows the importance of honoring and remembering fellow Soldiers who gave their ultimate sacrifice. While this will be a time of fond reflections of Tim’s dedicated service, it is also a time to honor our fallen warriors and their surviving Gold Star Family members.”
A 1987 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, McGuire’s service reflects the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect for others, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.
“At West Point, I was routinely asked ‘How long you staying in,’” McGuire recalled. “My answer never wavered. ‘As long as I’m having fun and making a positive difference.’
“Not every day has been fun, but there was never a day where I didn’t love the men and women I was fortunate enough to serve with or feel like I had not made a difference,” the general added.
McGuire proved his leadership as an Airborne Ranger who commanded the “Red Devils” of the 1/508th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the Paktika province in Afghanistan and later the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82d Airborne Division in Iraq.
The general’s family -- his wife, two sons and two daughters -- knows all about duty, remaining steadfast and resilient over two decades while McGuire led elite infantry units in multiple combat zones, two times to Iraq and three to Afghanistan.
“Every time I returned from a deployment and reunited with my family, I always wished that same great feeling for every American,” McGuire said. “We’d all appreciate one another more if everyone had an opportunity to see how selflessly our Soldiers serve, despite the hardships of combat and how much our allies appreciate our presence because we serve with honor.”
As the IMCOM DCG, McGuire and his global team provide a full array of installation services at 97 Army bases around the world. One of the programs IMCOM leads for the Army is Survivor Outreach Services, a network of professionals who ensure Gold Star Family members receive the benefits and services they deserve and are authorized for.
“Memorial Day is a solemn reminder that freedom is not free,” McGuire said. “It comes at a substantial cost. Gold Star Family members are never far from my mind, and they have earned the enduring respect of our nation.”
McGuire learned about respect for others as an Olmstead Scholar studying international relations at the University of Chile. Immersed in a different country and speaking a foreign language, McGuire paid close attention to the nuances of culture and how they impacted relationships and decision making.
He would use this understanding later in life, as he sat down with tribal leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan to discuss how they could work together to shape a better life for their people.
The Army defines integrity as “doing what’s right, legally and morally.”
McGuire lived this value serving as the deputy commanding general for the 82nd Airborne, U.S. Army Europe, and IMCOM. In this last assignment, he developed a reputation for taking on the most complicated problems, approaching each one by identifying the “hard rights” over the “easy wrongs.”
One look at this decorated Soldier’s uniform reflects McGuire’s personal courage. What is not seen is the grit and determination he displayed fighting – and ultimately beating – cancer while simultaneously serving as the acting commanding general of IMCOM.
McGuire looks back on an eventful career thankful for the impact these seven Army values had on him, his Soldiers and his family.
“I was always proud to espouse the Army values,” he said. “They were basically the same ones my parents taught me.”
As he transitions to Soldier for Life status, McGuire plans to continue to memorialize the Soldiers he served alongside who paid the ultimate sacrifice, as well as their surviving family members who will always remain a valued part of the Army team.
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