FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Ten Soldiers and three civilian employees retired with more than 330 years of combined service during the Fort Rucker Quarterly Retirement Ceremony April 29 in the U.S. Army Aviation Museum.
Col. Robert J. Holcombe, Fort Rucker garrison commander, hosted the event and he was assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond P. Quitugua Jr., garrison command sergeant major.
The following are brief write-ups on each retiree.
COL. TERRY A. MEYER
Meyer, U.S. Special Operations Command Special Operations Forces Lessons Learned Program branch chief, entered military service in 1992 as an aviation officer.
He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn.
He said the highlight of his career was learning to fly from the same heroes whose sacrifices in Vietnam inspired his own decision to serve.
He has two children and plans to reside in the southeast.
LT. COL. PHILLIP R. LENZ
Lenz, director of the Fort Rucker Directorate of Public Safety, entered military service in 1989 as a military intelligence Soldier. He commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Program at Eastern Kentucky University in 1996.
He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and enduring Freedom, and Intrinsic Action.
He said the highlight of his career was serving as the Fort Rucker director of DPS where his incredible team was recognized with the 2020 Sgt. Maj. Wardell Turner Award for having the best emergency services program in the Army.
He and his wife, Janet, have four children. They plan to reside in western Pennsylvania.
MAJ. BRIAN THIELMANN
Thielmann, Army Headquarters G-8 aerial intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance synchronization staff officer, entered military service in 1990 as a Marine infantryman. After an 11-year break in service, he entered the Army Warrant Officer Flight Training Program.
He served two combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and commanded the air ambulance detachment in Soto Cano, Honduras.
He said the highlight of his career was serving as a medevac platoon leader in charge of a National Guard platoon that he had never met in the busiest and most dangerous place in Afghanistan.
He and his wife, Melody, have two children.
He said to the Soldiers and civilians he has served with: it has been his honor. Dustoff!
CW5 JEFF WARFIELD
Warfield, senior warrant officer advisor to the deputy commanding general at Fort Rucker, entered the Army Reserve as an aviation “street to seat” candidate in 1992. He graduated Warrant Officer Candidate School in 1993 and Initial Entry Rotary Wing in 1994.
He said the highlight of his career was when he became the aviation training officer for the Aviation and Safety Division.
He and his wife, CW4 Sandra Poppy, have three children.
CW4 JOSHUA SNOW
Snow, Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization Fixed Wing branch chief at Fort Rucker, entered military service in 2000 as a cavalry scout. He was selected for Warrant Officer Flight Training in 2004.
He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
He said the highlight of his career was becoming an Army aviator.
He and his wife, Tabitha, have two children. They plan to reside in Harrison, Michigan.
CW3 PAUL OLSON
Olson, Aviation Survivability Development and Tactics Team forensics officer at Fort Rucker, entered military service in 1994 as an airborne infantryman. He was selected to attend flight school in 2008.
He said the highlights of his career were as enlisted being a sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as an NCO patrolling the streets of Baghdad with his squad, and as a warrant officer anytime on “short final to the x.”
He and his wife, Tracie, plan to reside in Enterprise, and continue to debate whether to adopt more Great Danes.
CW3 DANIEL MUNGER
Munger, A Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment section leader for AH-64E, entered military service in 1995 as an airborne infantryman. He was selected for Warrant Officer Flight Training in 2008.
He served four combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
He said the highlight of his career was serving as battalion aviation mission survivability officer and instructor pilot for the 1-82nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
He and his wife, Mika, have three children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
MASTER SGT. PERRY WASHINGTON
Washington, 23rd Quartermaster Brigade operations NCO at Fort Lee, Virginia, entered military service in 1997 as a petroleum supply specialist.
He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
He said the highlight of his career was the outstanding support he received from his wonderful family – his wife, Priscilla, and two children. They plan to reside in Anniston.
SGT. 1ST CLASS MAURICE JONES
Jones, platoon and assistant operations sergeant at Fort Polk, Louisiana, entered military service in 2002 as an infantryman.
He served multiple combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He said the highlight of his career was marrying his beautiful wife, Sharde, and having two wonderful children. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
SGT. 1ST CLASS DANIEL MAUGANS
Maugans, Aviation Capability Development Integration Directorate aviation systems repair NCO at Fort Rucker, entered military service in 2002 as an aircraft powertrain mechanic.
He served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
He said the highlight of his career was marrying his beautiful wife, Nicole, and having two wonderful children. They plan to reside in Nashville.
GINNIE NEAL
Neal, Fort Rucker Directorate of Human Resources quality assurance specialist, entered federal civilian service in 1978 with the Defense Logistics Agency Contract Administration Division as a clerk typist at Napier Field.
She said the highlights of her career were receiving the employee of the year award in 1995, the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service in 2013, and working with the exceptional civilians and military personnel at Fort Rucker.
She plans to reside in Dothan.
RUSSELL KRUSE
Kruse, Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 1-223rd Avn. Regt., entered civil service in 1999 as an instructor pilot. He said the highlight of his career was teaching students and seeing the lightbulb come on.
He and his wife, Roxanne, have three children. They plan to reside in Pensacola, Florida.
CURTIS WILLIAMS
Williams, Fort Rucker garrison, entered civilian service in 2002 after a 17 1/2-year career in the military.
He said the highlight of his career was serving as the first mobilization and deployment program manager assigned to Fort Rucker.
He and his wife, Kathy, have one child and one grandchild. They plan to reside in Enterprise.
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