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First Army Soldiers arrive for duty at Rock Island Arsenal

By Rob Saxon, First Army Public AffairsJuly 14, 2010

First Army Soldiers arrive for duty at Rock Island Arsenal
Photo ID/Credit (from L to R): Lt. Col. Joseph Winter (newly arrived chief of clinical operations) and Col. Margaret M. Hennessy (First Army command surgeon) discuss First Army mission and organization in the newly renovated third floor office space ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill.Aca,!"First Army took one step closer to its big relocation move next year when two Soldiers recently arrived for duty at Rock Island Arsenal. Lt. Col. Joseph Winter (chief of clinical operations in First Army's Office of the Command Surgeon) and Sgt. First Class Robert Myers (headquarters supply sergeant) officially signed in to the unit June 28 and began telecommuting, since the headquarters remains 800 miles south at Fort Gillem, Georgia for one more year. They are the first two First Army soldiers to officially be stationed at the Arsenal.

The soldiers spent their first week in-processing and assisting with set-up duties at a temporary personnel reception space on the newly renovated third floor, west wing, of First Army's forward headquarters. It is expected that several more First Army Soldiers will arrive over the next few months and begin their duty at the Arsenal.

Both Soldiers are glad to have signed in to the unit and are ready to get busy. "I'm excited for everyone else in the headquarters to get here so we can begin our teambuilding," said SFC Meyers. "I really like the Quad Cities area! "It's a lot bigger than I expected and there's a lot to do." SFC Myers comes to First Army from assignment at Fort Drum, New York.

Lt. Col. Winter comes to First Army from assignment at Fort Carson, Colorado. "I'm looking forward to being a part of the First Army Command Surgeon Team as we prepare units for deployment," he said. "This assignment will provide me a larger picture of the Army and how we prepare units to get into the fight."

When asked about relocating to the Quad Cities area, Lt. Col Winter responded, "You won't find a friendlier group than those in the Quad Cities area. Everyone on and off the Arsenal has been more than willing to provide assistance. The area is unique, beautiful and seems to have very active communities."

First Army, currently located at Fort Gillem, Georgia, is slated to be operating on Rock Island Arsenal by June 2011. The move is part of the Base Realignment and Closure legislation.

The new First Army offices will be housed in Building 68, which dates to 1881 and is undergoing extensive renovations to accommodate an estimated 550 workers.

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