FORT EUSTIS, Va. – U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command honored two of their own this Memorial Day during a memorialization ceremony for Gen. John W. Foss and Gen. William W. Hartzog to honor their leadership and legacy on May 27, 2021. The ceremony was part of the larger Fort Eustis hosted “Remember the Fallen” event.
The TRADOC leadership conference rooms were re-named in dedication of the commanders. The Executive Conference Room is now the Gen. Foss Conference Room, and the Command Conference Room is now the Gen. Hartzog Conference Room.
During the ceremony, Funk gave honors to the Foss and Hartzog families, as well as the nation’s fallen military men and women.
“We are memorializing not just two TRADOC commanders, but two incredibly brave, valorous combat leaders and men who served with distinction in our great Army,” Funk said.
Foss and Hartzog were Vietnam combat veterans and members of the Association of the United States Army. Both commanders served at Fort Hood, Texas, a career mark shared with Funk.
Foss is credited by the West Point Association of Graduates as being a lifetime teacher-mentor in combat arms leadership practices. Hartzog is recognized for his efforts at TRADOC in moving the Army to become a post-cold war force that embraced information technology and digitized weapons.
“The legacies of Gen. Foss and Gen. Hartzog are a humbling reminder that we are truly standing on the shoulders of giants,” Funk said.
As a small town Minnesota native, Foss’s military heritage began right at home. His father served during World War l, while his brother was a graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.
Foss’s son, Kevin Foss, delivered remarks on behalf of the family. He noted that his father always felt Soldiers came first. Foss believed in order to do the best for Soldiers, the best training needed to be done to create capable Soldiers.
“His entire life was dedicated to the improvement of a lot of the American Soldier and the United States Army,” Foss said.
The Hartzog family gave their written remarks virtually. They expressed their deep appreciation for TRADOC as being like a family and a place for visionary thinkers.
The remarks concluded with Hartzog’s words from his TRADOC change of command ceremony in 1998, which is displayed outside the newly re-named Gen. Hartzog Conference Room wall.
“I am proud to have had the chance to serve in this, our Army. And most of all, I am proud simply to be a Soldier,” Hartzog said.
The Fort Eustis “Remember the Fallen” event marked unit cohesion and provided an opportunity for Soldiers to be active together again. The Memorial Day observances included physical, ceremonial, and musical activities that also marked increased community engagement due to COVID-19.
“It is our solemn responsibility to continue the legacy of those who wore and continue to wear the cloth of our great nation,” Funk said. “Now is our opportunity. This our Army, and this our chance to leave TRADOC in a better place.”
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