ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – Five Soldiers were honored for their Army service in a retirement ceremony here in Heritage Hall on March 7. They dedicated a combined total of 117 years of service, and now they will begin the next chapter of their lives.
The ceremony, which included two of Rock Island Arsenal’s major tenant organizations, First U.S. Army, and U.S. Army Sustainment Command, was hosted by Brig. Gen. Jason Nelson, deputy commanding general (Operations), First U.S. Army.
Nelson began the ceremony by recognizing the retirees’ service to the country.
“Today’s ceremony is bittersweet,” Nelson said. “On one hand, we are proud of your years of service, and excited for your next phase of life and career. It is an honor to have called you brothers and sisters in arms. But at the same time, we struggle a little to know we will lose your vast wells of expertise and experience, and that we will fight on without your personal camaraderie and your professional leadership.”
In his remarks, Nelson referenced the current recruitment challenge being experienced by the Army and other armed services. He contrasted the struggle of attracting new people to join, with the opportunities the retiring Soldiers embraced throughout their years of service.
“I can’t help but think that if every high school or college aged kid could see the incredible things these five retirees have gotten to do in their decades in the Army,” he said, “they might be moved to volunteer as well.”
Those retiring were Lt. Col. Katherine Williams, Master Sgt. Aaron Prophett, 1st Sgt. Matthew Schlehuber, Sgt. 1st Class Quentin Jones, and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Regynski. A brief biography follows.
• Lt. Col. Katherine Williams retired after 20 years of service, beginning as an electronic maintenance platoon leader with the 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado, through supply officer at the Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Bliss, Texas; battalion executive officer, 405th Army Field Support Battalion-Germany, eventually becoming the ASC inspector general.
• Master Sgt. Aaron Prophett, who retired after 27 years of service, began his career with the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; served, among other positions, as materiel management noncommissioned officer, 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Camp Henry, Korea; instructor/writer, Logistics Training Department, Fort Lee (known as Fort Gregg-Addams since 2023), Virginia and culminating as the ASC inspector general noncommissioned officer in charge.
• 1st Sgt. Matthew C. Schlehuber, who retired after 26 years. Schlehuber is an Omaha, Nebraska, native who, before serving as the First Army G2 (Intelligence) senior enlisted advisor, served at various locations including Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, where he first served as the 1st Brigade, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, S2 (Intelligence) NCOIC, and first sergeant of Bravo Company, 109th E-Military Intelligence Battalion.
• Sgt. 1st Class Quentin Jones, retired after 21 years of service. Jones served in various positions, involving logistic management and distribution, employee training, staff support, stock control and accountability, and oversaw planning/implementing procedures with various systems, culminating as ASC G4 (Logistics) equipment NCO.
• Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Regynski, a South Dakota native, retired after 23 years. He began his Army career as a motor sergeant at Fort Hood (known as Fort Cavazos since 2023), Texas; served as a senior mechanic at Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and other positions, culminating as ASC’s maintenance management NCO.
Nelson thanked the retirees’ families for their sacrifices during their Soldiers’ careers.
“The Army has an axiom,” he said. “The Soldiers write the checks, but their families pay the bills. You intimately know each birthday, anniversary, childbirth, or holiday the retiree missed. You too served all these years.”
He finished by once again thanking the Soldiers for their service, expressing the faith that “each of you will carry forth your Army values into our civilian world, into our nation and into our communities.”
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