Good morning. It is my pleasure to welcome all of you to the Pentagon today as we swear in our five newest CASAs and add to our incredible team of leaders who advocate tirelessly for the Army across our nation. Dick Burch, John Driscoll, Bob Fitton, Aaron Reisinger, and Terrie Suica- Reed are all well-known and respected in their local communities. This cohort of CASAs has impressive Army experience, with a combined 127 years in uniform between the five of them!
The role of our CASAs is critically important today. CASAs bring awareness to the opportunities that the Army provides and inspire our young people to serve the nation and our national values. CASAs maintain strong ties with the communities that support our military installations, the cities that our soldiers call home, and the towns that host JROTC programs.
They are the eyes and ears of the Army at the ground level, and they are the voice of the Army to the local leaders, officials, parents, coaches, and influencers in schools, homes, and businesses across the country.
If you've been around the Army for a while, you probably recognize Dick Burch from his time as the 9th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard. He's now retired, after serving over 37 years in uniform and is joining the team as our Nebraska CASA. He brings a wealth of experience interacting with the community, as both the Command Sergeant Major for Nebraska and as the former Command Sergeant Major of Nebraska's recruiting and retention command. After an Army career advocating for soldiers, he’s been an advocate for retired servicemembers as Vice President of the Nebraska Military Retiree Council. Now, we're privileged to have him advocating for the Army as a CASA.
We're also lucky to have John Driscoll representing the Army as our Massachusetts CASA. John spent 33 years in uniform and retired as a Brigadier General. One of his last assignments was as the commander of Joint Task Force Capitol Grounds from January to May of 2021 here in our nation's capital. That was a consequential time, and you can be sure John gained quite a bit of experience as the interface between civilian and military authorities. His outstanding leadership in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, including his role as a recruiting commander, makes him the perfect person to represent the Army in Massachusetts.
Perhaps not by coincidence, we have another former recruiting commander on the team today. Bob Fitton, West Point class of '71 and the Army Reserve Ambassador for the state of Wyoming, is joining us as the CASA to Wyoming. He served in uniform for 30 years and has spent over a decade as a mentor through the Wounded Warrior Mentorship Program. Bob has served in several executive positions since he retired from the Army and will bring with him the experience that the Army needs to maintain close ties with our public and corporate partners throughout Wyoming.
Another West Point graduate, Aaron Reisinger, joins us as our Washington state – west CASA. He spent 26 years as an engineer in the Army, commanding the Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District, and serving in several planning positions here in the Pentagon. The Corps of Engineers is deeply tied to state and local efforts to improve our nation's infrastructure, and Aaron brings that experience, along with recent executive leadership experience in construction project management, to the CASA team for Washington.
And finally, Doctor Terrie Suica-Reed is joining the team as the CASA for western Pennsylvania. Terrie founded Phase Four America and the Phase Four Learning Center; non-profit organizations dedicated to providing those from high-risk backgrounds with high-quality education. These organizations provide not only education but also the training and skills needed for competitive employment. Terrie has partnered closely with both the Pittsburgh and Harrisburg recruiting battalions to help bring awareness to the employment opportunities offered in the military and founded the Tom Reed Armed Forces Career Center as a way for students and young people to interact directly with our servicemembers and veterans.
A special thanks to all of you for taking on the very important task of serving and representing the Army as CASAs, and for all that you have already done for this country and your communities.
The strength of the Army has always been our people, and CASAs are one of the crucial connections that we maintain with the citizens who support our people, the families that have their sons and daughters in uniform, and the talented young people who will be the soldiers of the future.
Thanks to the hard work of CASAs, recruiters, soldiers, and leaders, we are strengthening those connections and rebuilding the relationships between the Army and our citizens. With a force made up entirely of volunteers, those relationships are foundational to our national defense.
I have no doubt that these five CASAs will do incredible work building and maintaining those relationships. From the work that they have already done and the investments they have already made in their communities, I know that they are the right people to carry the Army's message.
Dick, John, Bob, Aaron, and Terrie, welcome to the CASA team. It's great to have you on board! I look forward to seeing all you will do for our country and the Army.
Please join me up here on stage, and we'll administer the oath.
Social Sharing