FORT NOVOSEL, Ala. – 8 Soldiers, with a combined 198 years of service, retired at the Fort Novosel Quarterly Retirement Ceremony May 3 in the U.S. Army Aviation Museum.
Col. John Miller, Fort Novosel Garrison Commander, officiated and spoke at the ceremony, assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Garry Williams.
The following are short write-ups on each retiree.
Capt. Lucas Bandy
Captain Lucas Bandy entered military service in 2002 as a medic at Fort Moore, Georgia. Bandy was commissioned through green-to-gold in 2015 after graduating from Austin Peay State University. During his 22 years of military service he served in numerous locations including Fort Stewart, Georgia; Fort Novosel, Alabama; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Moore, Georgia; Eglin Air Force base, Florida; and overseas locations in Germany and Iraq. He has served multiple combat tours in support of operation Iraqi freedom. His various leadership positions include squad leader, platoon sergeant, platoon leader, company executive officer, battalion S2, JISE chief, and detachment commander.
Capt. Bandy stated that the highlight of his career was the five years he served as a flight medic evacuating hundreds of U.S. service members in support of operation Iraqi freedom.
He and his spouse Mrs. Brittany Bandy have three children. Upon retirement they plan to reside in Navarre, Florida.
Chief Warrant Officer Five Anthony Kinney
Chief Warrant Officer Five Anthony Kinney entered military service in 1996 as an automated logistics specialist. In 2000 he was commissioned as an Infantry officer. In September 2005, he accepted an appointment as a warrant officer and attended flight training. During his 28 years of military service he has served in various locations, including, Fort Moore, Georgia; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Novosel, Alabama; and overseas locations in Korea. In addition, he served multiple combat tours in support of operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve. Kinney has served as an AH-64 pilot in command, maintenance test pilot and maintenance examiner, instructor pilot and standardization instructor pilot.
Chief Warrant Officer Five Kinney stated that the highlight of his career was being an instructor assigned to the Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization here at Fort Novosel.
He and his spouse Mrs. Melissa Kinney have two children. Upon retirement they plan to reside in Enterprise, Alabama.
Chief Warrant Officer Five Joshua Locke
Chief Warrant Officer Five Joshua Locke entered military service in 2001. After completing Basic Training and Warrant Officer Candidate School, he attended flight training. During his 22 years of military service he has served in various locations including, Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort drum, New York; Fort Novosel, Alabama and overseas in Germany. In addition, he served multiple combat tours in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Locke has served as a CH-47 pilot and standardization instructor.
Chief Warrant Officer Five Locke stated the highlight of his career was the opportunity to represent the CH-47F community as part of the capability development and integration directorate.
He and his wife Kimberly have two children and one grandchild. Upon retirement they plan to reside in Enterprise, Alabama.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Steven Badgley
Chief Warrant Officer Four Steven Badgley entered military service in 2002 as a field artillery fire direction controller. In 2005 he applied for and was selected to attend Army Warrant Officer Flight Training. During his 22 years of military service he has served in various locations, including, Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Drum, New York; Fort Novosel, Alabama; and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In addition, he served multiple combat tours in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Badgley has served as an artilleryman, an army boxer, an OH-58D pilot in command, instructor pilot, aviation safety officer, and aviation master gunner. In 2014 he transitioned to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) branch where he served as a squadron and brigade UAS operations officer, and as an aviation and UAS observer/coach/trainer for the mission command training program where he supported brigade, division, and corps staffs worldwide.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Badgley stated that the highlight of his career was consistently being able to support the ground force through a variety of different means and throughout all echelons of command.
He and his spouse Mrs. Amanda Badgley have three children. Upon retirement they plan to reside in Huntsville, Alabama.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Jason Burke
Chief Warrant Officer Four Jason Burke entered military service in 1995 as an Aircraft Powertrain Repairer. In 2003 he applied for and was selected to attend Army Warrant Officer Flight Training. During his almost 29 years of military service, he has served in various locations, including, Fort Eustis, Virginia; Fort Cavazos, Texas; Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Fort Irwin, California; Fort Novosel, Alabama, and overseas locations in Germany, Bosnia, South Korea, and Pakistan. In addition, he served multiple combat tours in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Burke has served as an aircraft powertrain repairer, UH-60 pilot in command and maintenance test pilot, LUH-72 pilot in command and functional check pilot, aviation safety officer, and aviation/ground mishap investigator.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Burke stated that the highlight of his career was being an aviation/ground mishap investigator at the United States Combat Readiness Center and having lasting effects on aviation/ground safety throughout the army.
He and his spouse Mrs. Paulette Burke have two children. Upon retirement they plan to reside in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Heath Robinson
Chief Warrant Officer Four Heath Robinson entered military service in 1999 as a general construction equipment operator in the Army Reserves. In 2002, he went on active duty as an aircraft power train repairer. In 2006 he applied for and was selected to attend Army Warrant Officer Flight Training. During his 24 years of military service, he has served in various locations, including, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Novosel; Alabama and overseas locations in Germany during Operation Atlantic Resolve, and Pakistan during a humanitarian mission for earthquake relief in 2005. In addition, he served multiple combat tours in support of Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Robinson has served as an AH-64 pilot in command, air mission commander and standardization instructor pilot.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Robinson stated that the highlight of his career was being the DES attack branch chief here at Fort Novosel.
He and his spouse Mrs. Afton Robinson three children. Upon retirement they plan to reside in New Brockton, Alabama.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Robert Streit
Chief Warrant Officer Four Robert Streit entered military service in 1998 as a Blackhawk mechanic. In 2005 he applied for and was selected to attend Army Warrant Officer Flight Training. During his 26 years of military service, he has served in various locations, including, Fort Liberty, North Carolina; Fort Moore Georgia; Fort Novosel, Alabama; and overseas locations in Korea, Honduras, Hawaii, Germany, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. In addition, he served multiple combat tours in part of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Streit has served as a UH-60 mechanic, crew chief and standardization instructor; UH-60 pilot in command, maintenance test pilot, instructor pilot, standardization instructor pilot, and maintenance test pilot evaluator.
Chief Warrant Officer Four Streit stated the most rewarding highlights of his career were being able to experience and work in multiple overseas assignments.
He and his spouse, Mrs. Ellen Streit, have three children and six grandchildren. Upon retirement they plan to reside in Destin, Florida.
Chief Warrant Officer Three James Hawkins
Chief Warrant Officer Three James Hawkins entered the U.S. Army in 1998. During his nearly 25 years of military service, he has held four different MOS designations in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy including: parachute rigger, x-ray technologist, hospital corpsman and aviator. His duty locations include Fort Liberty, North Carolina; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Richardson, Alaska; Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington; Navy EOD school; Eglin AFB, Florida; Naval Hospital Pensacola, Florida; Fort Riley, Kansas; and Fort Novosel, Alabama. His overseas locations include Germany, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Honduras. He has multiple tours in both services supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Resolute support and Operation Inherent Resolve. Hawkins is the recipient of multiple awards and decorations throughout a varied and storied career that has spanned close to 25 years including the Combat Action Badge, Senior Aviator wings, and Expert Field Medical Badge.
Chief Warrant Officer Three Hawkins stated that the highlight of his career were the real-world lifesaving missions in Honduras and Guatemala after hurricanes Eta and Iota devastated the region in 2020.
He and his spouse Mrs. Justine Hawkins have one son. Upon retirement they plan to sail around the Caribbean.
Find more photos from the ceremony at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBoUAi
Social Sharing