FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. - The frigid temperatures could not keep Army tradition from transpiring, nor keep those away who wanted to take part in it.
Greely Hall Auditorium was filled with friends, family and coworkers who came to see Brig. Gen. Jennifer L. Napper, Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th Signal Command (Army) commanding general, promoted to the rank of major general Feb. 4. Presiding over the ceremony was a former NETCOM commanding general, Lt. Gen. Carroll F. Pollett, currently serving as the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency.
The indoor ceremony was attended by members of Napper's family and command teams from around the globe.
"You are blessed to have her as your commanding general for what she brings in terms of talent and experience and passion," Pollett said to the audience during his opening remarks.
"She is absolutely a Soldier's leader. Soldiers will follow her anywhere unquestionably because they trust her. They have confidence in her - and that's all a Soldier wants, is good leadership," Pollett said. "She has the right kind of loyalty - it's what I call up and down loyalty. It's loyalty to your seniors, and it's loyalty to your subordinates. It's what leadership is about."
Napper's family, including husband Mark and daughters Barbara and Rebecca, participated in the ceremony by placing Napper's new rank on her shoulders. Napper's father, Robert Brown, pinned major general rank on her beret with the stars originally worn by retired Lt. Gen. Peter Kind, former commanding general of U.S. Army Information Systems Command.
Following the pinning, Command Sgts. Maj. Gerald Williams and Kenneth Williams, NETCOM/9th SC(A) and 7th Signal Command (Theater) command sergeants major (respectively), and Napper's first noncommissioned officer, retired 1st Sgt. George Cornett, unfurled Napper's major general flag.
Administering the Oath of Office was Maj. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence, another former NETCOM commanding general who was recently nominated to become the next Chief Information Officer of the Army and promotion to lieutenant general. Lawrence had her own words to describe her relationship with Napper.
"It was a rather emotional moment when Jennifer called and asked if I would participate in this great ceremony, because my second family is the Napper family," Lawrence commented.
During Napper's remarks, she commented on how the noncommissioned officers in her ceremony have helped her understand and appreciate the NCO Corps, how her family supported her for most of her career, and how the promotion made her feel.
"I have two mixed emotions; first I feel blessed," Napper said. "I'm blessed because I have loving parents who taught us to give back, to never quit, to go for our dreams; a wonderful giving husband, and two beautiful caring, bright daughters with bright futures of their own.
"To be allowed to continue to serve in this wonderful nation in her Army, serving with outstanding Soldiers and hard-working, dedicated Civilians and self-sacrificing Families... I feel blessed.
"But I also feel humbled, because I know there are at least another hundred other guys who could be standing here today instead of me," Napper said. "I don't fool myself. I'm just the fortunate one."
Napper was nominated for the promotion before Thanksgiving, and was confirmed shortly after. Her promotion ceremony comes after a four-day conference with the NETCOM command teams, where discussions ranged from the upcoming enterprise e-mail migration to future operations with Army Cyber Command/2nd Army.
Prior to Napper commanding NETCOM, she was the commanding general of 7th Signal Command (Theater) in Fort Gordon, Ga.
Social Sharing