FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Six Soldiers and five civilian employees retired with more than 300 years of combined service during the Fort Rucker Quarterly Retirement Ceremony Jan. 28 in the U.S. Army Aviation Museum.
Col. William D. Porter, dean of the School of Army Aviation Medicine, hosted the event and he was assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Charles E. Hancock, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence Army Reserve and National Guard senior enlisted adviser.
The following are brief write-ups on each retiree.
LT. COL. RANDY JAMES
James, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center chief of the Aviation Division of the Directorate of Assessments and Prevention, entered military service in 1994 at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, and was commissioned as an aviation officer in 1998.
He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
He said the highlights of his career were and will always be the relationships he made and the honor of serving alongside heroes.
He and his wife, Linnet, have four children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
MAJ. ANTONIO JASSO
Jasso, Aviation Platforms Requirements Directorate operations officer, entered military service in 1997 as an aviation officer. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
He said the highlights of his career were meeting his wife, having a family and making it to retirement. He and his wife, Mirna, have two children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
CW5 PEDRO GUTIERREZ
Gutierrez, Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization Fixed-Wing Branch chief, entered military service in 1995 as a B-1 offensive avionics specialist in the Air Force. In 1997, he was selected for Army Warrant Officer Flight Training. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and other operations.
He said the highlight of his career was shaping the transport and special electronic mission aircraft fixed-wing mission while at DES.
He and his spouse, Angela, have one child. They plan to reside in New Brockton.
1ST SGT. KAYLAND TEEMER
Teemer, Army Cincinnati Recruiting Company first sergeant in Cincinnati, Ohio, entered military service in 2000 as an administrative assistant. She also served as a human resource specialist and recruiter.
She said the highlight of her career was having her wonderful husband, Frank, by her side for 20 of the 21 years, and helping to provide for their two sons. They plan to reside in Jacksonville, Florida.
1st SGT. MICHAEL BOWMAN
Bowman, A Company, 1st Battalion, 223rd Aviation Regiment first sergeant, entered military service in 2000 as a powertrain mechanic. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and Freedom’s Sentinel.
He said the highlight of his career was marrying his beautiful wife, Eliashia. They plan to reside in Dothan.
SGT. 1ST CLASS MICHAEL BISHOP
Bishop, senior evacuation capability development NCO for Medical Evacuation Concepts and Capabilities Division, Medical Capability Development and Integration Directorate, Futures and Concepts Center, Army Futures Command, entered military service in 2002 as a combat medic. He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
He said the highlights of his career were having the honor and privilege to provide Dustoff MedEvac support to the nation’s wounded warriors for the last 18 years, receiving recognition as the 2005 Dustoff Association Flight Medic of the Year, and meeting and marrying his beautiful wife, Erin.
They have two children and plan to reside in Enterprise.
MARK BECK
Beck, 1-223rd Avn. Regt., began his Army civilian career in 1996 after retiring from a 20-year military career. He was hired by the 1-14th Avn. Regt. as an OH-58D standardization pilot. He said the highlight of his career was the camaraderie and professionalism of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior community as they performed their mission with daring and bravery, protecting America’s heroes on the ground.
He and his wife, Angela, have two children and one grandchild. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
SCOTT CHILDRESS
Childress, U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, began his federal civilian career with the Army in 1993 with V Corps in Frankfurt, Germany, photographing the 50th anniversary ceremonies of WWII in France and Belgium. He said the highlight of his career was working closely with then-Col. George W. Casey Jr., who would later became the 36th chief of staff of the U.S. Army.
He and his wife, Steffanie, have two children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
GARY PRUYNE
Pruyne, 1-212th Avn. Regt., began his Army civilian career in 1986 as a maintenance test pilot at Fort Eustis, Virginia. He said the highlights of his career were the camaraderie and friendships he made, and the opportunity to serve with the nation’s best as an enlisted Soldier, warrant officer and Department of the Army civilian.
He and his wife, Julie, have three children and four grandchildren. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
CHARLIE MAHONE
Mahone, CRC chief of the Army Readiness Assessment Program Division, entered federal civil service in 2004 after a successful military career. He said the highlight of his career was spearheading efforts to institutionalize the Army Readiness Assessment Program as a vital component of the Army’s overall safety program at the battalion level.
He and his wife, Vanessa, have five children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
MARK HAYS
Hays, USAARL, began his federal civilian career in 2005 in Shreveport, Louisiana, after serving 22 years in the Navy. He said the highlight of his career was working closely with the medical teams Overton Brooks Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Shreveport and USAARL at Fort Rucker in support of America’s warriors before, during and after battle.
He and his wife, Glenna, have three children and six grandchildren. They plan to reside in the local area.
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