DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. – Smiles, hugs and happy tears filled the Detroit Arsenal as five people who spent decades shaping the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command took a permanent place in its history.
Agnes E. Holley-Smith, David W. Horton, Michele M. Moore, James “Patton” Tidwell and David L. Van Agtmael were inducted Oct. 28 into the TACOM Hall of Fame.
“These are five people who have made TACOM stronger, they’ve made our Army more ready, and they’ve made our nation more secure,” Commanding General Brig. Gen. Beth A. Behn said.
The ceremony celebrated the inductees’ contributions and enduring legacy. More than 150 people attended, including command leadership, the commanders of TACOM’s depots and arsenals, Warren Mayor Lori Stone, four previous Hall of Fame inductees and members of the workforce.
Behn highlighted the honorees’ vital role in driving readiness.
“Behind every piece of equipment that we field, behind every capability that we deliver to the point of need for Soldiers, there’s a professional behind that who’s doing that work,” she said. “The five people that we’re going to recognize today represent the very best of what we do.”
Behn described the honorees as strategic problem-solvers who thought “broadly, deeply and critically” beyond the boundaries of job titles about how to advance warfighter readiness. She said they are at the heart of TACOM’s success – and an inspiration for its future.
“All of us who are here, now, strive to live up to the standard you have set,” she said.
Each inductee had a unique and lasting impact – but all shared a deep commitment to service.
Holley-Smith broke barriers and drove collaboration throughout her career, retiring as director of Operations and Security Assistance for the TACOM Integrated Logistics Support Center.
Horton, former acting executive director of the ILSC, led critical logistics initiatives and spent time in Kuwait executing the sale of the Abrams tank. Moore brought her communications and logistics expertise to multiple roles, including director of the Army Force Generation Integration Directorate.
Tidwell’s strong dedication to the warfighter strengthened operations across Red River Army Depot, where he served as deputy commander under six commanders. Van Agtmael was at the forefront of force modernization efforts and a key architect of the logistics support structure for the Stryker Brigade.
Before the induction ceremony got under way in the auditorium of Building 200, Behn met privately with the honorees and their family members and friends. During introductions, Holley-Smith joked about inviting a large group of people.
“OK, I’m the one in the room who maybe overdid it,” she said, eliciting laughter.
“There is no such thing,” Behn replied, smiling. “You only get inducted into the hall of fame once.”
After the ceremony, the honorees and their guests gathered for a reception in the TACOM Hall of Fame in Building 230. Applause erupted when a black drape was moved away from a wall to reveal five plaques honoring the inductees.
Van Agtmael called the experience “awesomely humbling.”
Tidwell agreed. He said he felt incredibly honored to be recognized for his nearly 45 years of service to the Army, but he was quick to credit the team behind him – from his former supervisors and mentors to the men and women working on the depot’s vehicle production lines and in the rubber products shop.
“It’s really all of them who made me look good,” he said. “It takes a whole team to do what we do on a daily basis.”
As the event wound down, members of the TACOM Hall of Fame Class of 2026 enjoyed cake, reminisced with old friends and took photos with Behn, each other and their families. Horton posed in front of the plaque wall for a photo with Holley-Smith, his mentor.
“Seeing all of these people,” he said, looking around the room, “it’s a little bit like a family reunion.”
The TACOM Hall of Fame program was founded in 2024. It preserves the command’s rich history while recognizing exceptional service, achievements and dedication in support of Army readiness.
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