CHIÈVRES, Belgium – Team Benelux held leadership ceremonies July 18 and 19 at Chièvres Air Base to mark transition of the garrison commander and command sergeant major.
On July 18, Command Sgt. Maj Malcolm G. Coley assumed responsibility from the interim command sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Betsabe R. McBeth, during an assumption of responsibility ceremony in Hangar 2 of the air base.
U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Commander Col. Lindsay R. Matthews presided over the event, welcoming Coley and his Family to the Benelux and highlighting the important contributions that the position of command sergeant major makes to a garrison that manages several sites across Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany with a multinational, multilingual workforce.
“The command sergeant major’s scope of interest is equal to that of the commander and deputy and he is expected to advise on any topic facing the command,” said Matthews. “In the Benelux, that means that Command Sgt. Maj. Coley is the principal advisor on all aspects of training, support, servicemember and family programs, and enlisted actions within the command. He is further expected to assist our mission partner senior enlisted advisors with the same in their commands.”
Upon assuming responsibility, Coley expressed his eagerness to learn about the Benelux and become an integral part of the community.
“To the U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Family, I look forward to working with every single one of you,” said Coley. “I’m a very straight forward outgoing person and I look forward to learning what you do and assisting you in any way I can.”
On July 19, Hangar 2 was again filled with Team Benelux members and distinguished visitors as the garrison bid farewell to commander Lindsay R. Matthews and welcomed the new garrison commander Patrick J. Hofmann with a change of command ceremony presided by Tommy R. Mize, director of Installation Management Command-Europe.
To represent the transfer of command, Matthews received the garrison colors from Command Sgt. Maj. Coley and passed the colors to Mize, representing the formal end of her command of the garrison. Mize then passed the colors to Hofmann, thus beginning Hofmann’s tenure as garrison commander.
In her farewell speech, Matthews highlighted her focus on strengthening relationships both within the garrison and in the Benelux communities that cross organizational and national boundaries.
“We view these interpersonal and interorganizational relationships as indispensable to our mission accomplishment,” said Matthews. “We have truly proven beyond a doubt that we stand united in strength to maintain justice and freedom across the Alliance.”
Matthews also emphasized the importance of the garrison’s mission and the support that is provided to the Benelux community that spans three countries.
“The garrison provides for the entire lifecycle of our Families and servicemembers – literally from the cradle to the grave and everything in between,” said Matthews. “Our passionate, dedicated and innovative garrison team works incredibly hard to make every minute of every day count.”
Hofmann greeted the garrison by thanking Matthews for the warm welcome and recalling his first experience working in the Benelux more than two-decades ago.
“Twenty-five years ago, I was a young sergeant assigned to NATO Headquarters in Brussels … one of the few junior enlisted members in that organization,” said Hofmann. “I could not have imagined I’d have the opportunity to serve in the Benelux again. So, when the Army asked me where I wanted to command, the U.S. Army Garrison Benelux was at the top of my list."
“I asked to lead this garrison and I’m proud to be joining this team,” Hofmann said.
USAG Benelux is a garrison that manages several sites across Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany with a multinational, multilingual workforce in support of the Installation Management Command and Army Prepositioned Stock-2 site missions.
For more information about USAG Benelux visit https://home.army.mil/benelux/.
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