FORT LEE, Va. (March 1, 2010) What a difference a year makes.
During his last trip to Fort Lee, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially opened the Sustainment Center of Excellence headquarters building.
When he returned for a subsequent visit Monday, the commanding general of Training and Doctrine Command witnessed the various project completions and others under construction that will transform the installation to the military\'s premier center for sustainment education.
"I think the changes here are remarkable," said Dempsey, comparing the rate of construction with his January 2009 visit. "I think the leadership here, military and Civilian, has done a fantastic job, taking all these different resources and turning them into something that we all can be proud of.
This (Fort Lee) has really become Army Logistics University in a broader sense." Maj. Gen. James E. Chambers, Combined Arms Support Command, Sustainment Center of Excellence and Fort Lee commanding general, hosted the visit.
Dempsey's first stop was the Army Women's Museum. He and his senior enlisted advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. David Bruner, dedicated to the museum - for display purposes - the first Margaret C. Corbin Award. The TRADOC award recognizes volunteer service that has had a significant impact on the quality of life of Soldiers and their Families. The first recipient is Sharon C. Wallace, wife of Gen. Scott Wallace, Dempsey's predecessor.
"It's a great honor to me today to present the first of the Margaret C. Corbin awards," he said. "This award can now take its place in this museum, and as we continue to recognize the contributions of women across the Army, we'll know that those contributions are also represented here at the Army Women's Museum."
Francoise Bonnell, acting director, accepted the award on the museum's behalf. The Joint Culinary Center of Excellence was the next item on Dempsey's itinerary. It is currently hosting the 35th Army Culinary Arts Competition, a two-week event that showcases the skills of military food service personnel. Dempsey has a personal stake in the competition. His aide, Master Sgt. Mark Morgan, is a contestant.
Morgan won a silver medal in the Armed Forces Chef of the Year category. The bulk of Dempsey's trip was spent at the Army Logistics University. Less than a year old, the $60-million ALU campus is considered the centerpiece of logistics education in the Army. Dempsey toured the Simulation Training Center, was briefed about an ongoing simulation exercise and talked with senior mentors and students.
Earlier in the day, Dempsey received an aerial tour of the Ordnance Campus, located across route 36. The sprawling area, alive with the sound of bulldozers and other construction equipment, is the new home of the Ordnance School.
The $700 million complex is scheduled to open next year. Most of the construction taking place at Fort Lee is a result of the 2005 edition of the Base Realignment and Closure act. It has brought more than $1 billion in new facilities to Fort Lee that will double its military and civilian population.
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