Army Adjutant General highlights Fort Leonard Wood AG professionals during visit this week

By Brian Hill, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs OfficeMarch 10, 2022

Brig. Gen. Hope Rampy, 62nd Adjutant General of the Army (second from right), visited Fort Leonard Wood this week and presented coins to four exceptional human resources professionals here this morning: 1st Lt. Lonnae Williams, 3rd Chemical...
Brig. Gen. Hope Rampy, 62nd Adjutant General of the Army (second from right), visited Fort Leonard Wood this week and presented coins to four exceptional human resources professionals here this morning: 1st Lt. Lonnae Williams, 3rd Chemical Brigade adjutant (third from left), Joe Reynolds, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence officer strength manager (center left), Cindy Drue, MSCoE enlisted strength manager (center right), and Eric Adams, chief of the Casualty Assistance Center and the ID Card facility (third from right). Also pictured are: Lt. Col. Angel Vega, MSCoE G-1 (left), Mike Beando, Human Resources director, and Sgt. Maj. Jon Williams, Sergeant Major for the Adjutant General (right). The Adjutant General of the Army, commonly called the TAG, is the chief administrative officer of the U.S. Army, responsible for the procedures affecting the preservation of all Army personnel records, military awards and decorations, casualty operations and transition services. As the TAG, Rampy also serves as commanding general of the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency and executive director of the Military Postal Service Agency. (Photo Credit: Photo by Brian Hill, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The 62nd Adjutant General of the Army, Brig. Gen. Hope Rampy, visited Fort Leonard Wood this week to meet senior leaders and engage with human resources professionals here.

The Adjutant General of the Army, commonly called the TAG, is the chief administrative officer of the U.S. Army, responsible for the procedures affecting the preservation of all Army personnel records, military awards and decorations, casualty operations and transition services.

Rampy, who took the reigns as the TAG in 2020, highlighted four Fort Leonard Wood individuals and presented them each with a coin before a professional development event she hosted Tuesday in Lincoln Hall Auditorium.

The highlighted individuals included:

  • Joe Reynolds, the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence officer strength manager, who was named the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command 2020 Senior AG Civilian of the Year. Under Reynolds’ watch, 14 battalions on post changed command while the training mission continued. He also supervised the training and distribution of information related to officer manning cycles, resulting in four new human resource administration officers being properly trained and able to replace more than 90 percent of all MSCoE permanent-party officers. Reynolds helped with increasing the number of lieutenants needed to fill platoon leader and executive officer positions as well;
  • Cindy Drue, the MSCoE enlisted strength manager, who is the TRADOC 2021 Senior AG Civilian of the Year. Drue trained three brigade human resource administrator sections, nine senior NCOs and more than 20 senior leaders in enlisted strength management matters. Drue improved strength management strategies and prepared comprehensive briefings and products that supported senior leaders while assisting subordinate units to become more efficient in their personnel management and tracking. Drue also developed and coordinated a monthly meeting that improved personnel action effectiveness and communicated trends to act upon;
  • 1st Lt. Lonnae Williams, 3rd Chemical Brigade adjutant, who is the TRADOC 2021 AG Officer of the Year. Williams processed the administrative actions and accountability for more than 1,300 permanent-party and 5,000 trainees within the brigade. Williams ensured that personnel were distributed across four Basic Combat Training battalions, one chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training battalion and one chemical defense training facility while meeting personnel readiness standards; and
  • Eric Adams, chief of the Casualty Assistance Center and the ID Card facility, who has seen a customer satisfaction increase of more than 25 percent over the last calendar year. Adams has worked with command teams to reduce backlogs, resulting in a 20 percent decrease in processing delays. The casualty assistance team has provided support to 446 family members of fallen service members, and more than 4,400 military funeral honors for active service members and retirees have been prepared and processed.

Before the presentation, Lt. Col. Angel Vega, MSCoE G-1, spoke about his “exceptional” team.

Calling Williams, “the best AG lieutenant I have served with in over 27 years of service,” Vega praised her outstanding management skills and oversight within her unit.

“She excels in all areas where an AG officer needs proficiency, especially as a technical expert in human resources systems and as a magnificent section leader,” Vega said. “I am proud to have her in our AG community and look forward to seeing her continued success in the future.”

Reynolds took on “a myriad of responsibilities in the absence of key personnel,” Vega said.

“He is also the best officer strength manager I have met in my career and an HR capabilities analytical expert,” Vega said. “It is an honor to work with him.”

Vega called Drue a “subject matter expert,” who is always willing to give some of her valuable time to assist units in becoming more efficient in their personnel management and tracking.

“Cindy is a focused and caring leader, who analyzes, engages and goes above and beyond to secure personnel gains that support our training mission,” Vega said.

Mike Beando, Fort Leonard Wood’s Human Resources director, called Adams a “force multiplier.”

“Mr. Adams has the ability to create and foster high-performing teams and dynamic programs while demonstrating the highest level of Army values in all he does,” Beando said. “He is a force multiplier that builds and maintains high-performing teams that always exceed mission requirements.”

The 2021 Army-level AG awards will be announced later this year.