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ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - Four decorated Soldiers were honored during a retirement ceremony at the Ball Conference Center April 28. With their combined 102 years of military service, the service members made positive contributions to the installation as well as the Army.
The honorees were Lt. Col. James Parrack and 1st Sgt. Tamara Bozman with the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Command; Sgt. 1st Class Roderick Trotter Sr., with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command and Staff Sgt. Benjamin Zapien, with the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, 7th Army Training Command, Hohenfels, Germany.
The host for the program was Jennifer Swanson, the director of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command’s Software Engineering Center. She was assisted by Master Sgt. Brent Leverette, enlisted aide to CECOM Command Sgt. Maj. Kristie Brady. Chaplain Resource Manager (Maj.) Yong Joung gave the invocation.
“Your achievements have made a huge difference in the units in which you served and the people you served with and our country, that you honored with your sacrifices of service,” Swanson said. “We are very grateful and very thankful for all that you have done and all the time you have given to the Army and the United States.”
Each retiree was awarded the Department of the Army Meritorious Service Medal; the DA certificates of appreciation and retirement. The retirees were also presented with a U.S. flag and a retiree pin, signifying the end of their military careers.
Each retiree’s spouse or family member received the DA Certificate of Appreciation for their unselfish, faithful and devoted service.
Lt. Col. James Parrack
Lt. Col. James Parrack enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1985 as an armor crewman (tanker).
Parrack attended the University of Texas at San Antonio and received his commission to the Ordnance Corps in 1994, followed by a selection to attend the Logistic Executive Development Course and earning a Master’s in Logistic Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2003.
Parrack has been assigned to numerous positions of increased responsibility, including the Combined Arms Support Command representative during the Force Design of the 20th CBRNE Support Command; advisor to Iraqi Security Force; 6th Infantry Brigade G1 and G3; executive officer for 192nd Ordnance Battalion; Weapons of Mass Destruction team chief; 19th Expeditionary Support Command G33; 8th Field Army Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection division chief; Army Central Command explosive ordnance disposal officer and the instructor/writer for the Army Civilian Education System Advanced Course.
Throughout his career, Parrack received many awards and decorations including the Bronze Star Medal; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; NATO Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Combat Action Badge; Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge and Parachutist Badge.
After over 35 years of service, Parrack will retire May 31, as the deputy G3 for the 20th CBRNE Command. He plans to stay in Maryland.
Retired Brig. Gen. William King IV, who was a mentor to Parrack, praised him for his work ethic and loyalty.
“He is a man of passion, a man of devotion to duty, dedication to the mission and to family,” he said. “He is a man of great faith.”
He wished him good luck with his future endeavors.
“This is not an end to a portion of your life, it is a transition,” he said. “Because now as a retiree you will continue to be that prime example, that shining example to our society of what is patriotic.”
1st Sgt. Tamara M. Bozman
In January 1999, 1st Sgt. Tamara Bozman entered the U.S. Army as a 63B light-wheeled vehicle mechanic. She completed basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Some of Bozman’s leadership roles include brigade operations sergeant major.; commandant of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade Center of Excellence Academy; brigade S-4 maintenance control sergeant; brigade sexual assault response coordinator; drill sergeant; instructor/writer; platoon sergeant; motor sergeant; first sergeant of the 514th Maintenance Support Company; and senior management noncommissioned officer.
Bozman’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal; Army Achievement Medal (5th OLC); Army Good Conduct Medal (7th award); National Defense Service Medal; Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Star Device; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Korea Defense Service Medal; Military Outstanding Voluntary Service Medal; NATO Medal; Drill Sergeant badge; Mechanic and Driver’s Badges and the Order of Samual Sharp.
After 23 years of service, Bozman will retire as the senior maintenance NCO with the 20th CBRNE Command at APG on June 14. She is currently working to earn her Bachelor’s degree in sociology. She plans to stay in Maryland.
“It is a good feeling to retire, it was time,” she said. “I will miss it, I can’t say that I won’t, but I am ready for the next chapter.”
Sgt. 1st Class Roderick Trotter, Sr.
Sgt. 1st Class Roderick Trotter Sr. enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 2002. He attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was awarded the Military Occupational Specialty 13B, field artillery cannon crewmember. Trotter was deployed four times; three tours to Iraq and one to Afghanistan totaling 50 months in a designated combat zone.
Trotter’s military education includes the Equal Opportunity Leaders Course; Field Artillery Weapons Maintenance Course; Battle Staff; Senior Leaders Course; Combatives Levels one and two; Sling Load inspector certified; Advanced Leader Course; Air Assault Course; Basic Leaders Course; Transport/storage of HAZMAT course; and Combat Life Saver Course. He also earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Troy University and his Master’s of Science degree in psychology with a concentration in industrial-organizational psychology from Southern New Hampshire University.
His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart; Army Commendation Medal with 7th Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Achievement Medal with 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Good Conduct Medal (6th award); National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one service star; Iraq Campaign Medal with three service stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; NCO Development Ribbon with numeral 3; Army Service Ribbon; Army Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 7; and NATO-ISAF Medal.
Trotter retired with 20 years of service as a Research, Training, Development and Evaluation NCO with DEVCOM on May 31.
He said he will miss being a Soldier.
“This is a good moment, a long time coming,” he said. “In the back of your mind you will feel like you are still soldiering, so I think over time that voice in my mind will fade. I am excited but still kind of want to be a Soldier at the same time.”
Staff Sgt. Benjamin Zapien
In February 1998, Staff Sgt. Benjamin Zapien enlisted in the Virginia Army National Guard through the split option program. He completed One Station Unit Training in August 1999 and was awarded the MOS 68W, combat medical specialist. He completed infantry training in 2003 and was awarded the MOS 11B infantryman.
Zapien had several deployments during his career, including Bosnia (2001-2002), Afghanistan (2004-2005 and 2011-2012) and Iraq (2006-2007 and 2008-2009). He served in a variety of positions from rifleman to platoon sergeant. In addition, he has served as an operations NCO from the battalion level to Army command level.
Some of Zapien’s awards include eight Army Commendation Medals; three Army Achievement Medals; two Meritorious Unit Commendation Medals; six Army Good Conduct Medals; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars; Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars; two National Defense Service Medals; three NCO Professional Ribbons; Army Service Ribbon; seven Overseas Service Ribbons; two Armed Forces Reserve Medals with Mobilization Device; two NATO Medals; and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
During his military career, Zapien obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in military history from American Military University; a Master’s in Business Administration from Grantham University; and a post-doctorate certificate in project management and a Doctorate in business administration in leadership from Walden University.
Zapien retired with 24 years of service on April 30 as a multinational interoperability instructor at the Observer Controller Academy in Hohenfels, Germany. He now works for the Defense Logistics Agency and lives in Pennsylvania.
“It feels bittersweet to retire because I have been in since I was a teenager,” he said.
For more photos, visit: Four Soldier retire during April ceremony-April 28, 2022 | Flickr
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