“Wow.”
With this one word, Col. Deborah Grays, U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) commander, summed up her feelings on the tribute garrison employees showed her at a tribute luncheon July 13 at The Commons at Fort McPherson.
The tribute allowed all those touched by Grays’ leadership, which began July 1, 2008, to say thank you for the leadership, friendship, mentorship and work she has done over the past three years.
Davis Tindoll Jr, Installation Management Command Atlantic Region, said Grays has been an outstanding leader who has overcome multiple challenges in preparing Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem for closure Sept. 15. “You have done well,” he said, adding she is a leader who personifies excellence. “You’ve executed the lion’s share of BRAC work.”
All of the work was done under the stress of losing personnel, Tindoll added. Yet despite the reduction in both Civilian employees and Soldiers, he said Grays still managed to provide quality base services and take care of Soldiers, Civilians, retirees and their Families.
Grays’ civilian counterpart, Howard Butler, USAG deputy commander, said Grays’ concern was best shown by her conduct in distributing reduction in force (RIF) letters to Civilian employees who would be losing their jobs when the installations close. “She looked every person she gave a RIF letter to in the eye and talked with them,” he said. “She cares about people.”
Over the course of his 37 years of federal service, Butler said he saw many commanders come and go, but remarked that hosting Grays’ farewell holds a special honor. Describing her as easy to work with each day, Butler said he will miss the friendship and the little things in their work relationship, such as hearing her tell him the grass is growing too high when she walks across Hedekin Field from Staff Row on her way to work.
That joke wasn’t the only one involving Butler. Some of his coworkers presented Grays with a going away gift of a large, framed picture of Butler to remember him by. The gag gift was one of many gifts bestowed upon Grays at the celebration. Grays, who will go on to serve as chief of basing and facilities, U.S. Forces, Afghanistan, following her tour at Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem, was presented with the Legion of Merit from Tindoll.
Col. Cheryl Taylor-Whitehead, Lawrence Joel Troop Medical Clinic (LJTMC) commander and friend of Grays, presented her with the LJTMC Peach Award, an award given by the LJTMC staff for those individuals who perform extraordinary efforts of customer service to clinic patients.
Jim Morton, president of The Robert F. Greene Chapter of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (Triple Nickel), presented Grays with a plaque and awarded her the distinguished honorary member award.
Other organizations that presented Grays with gifts included the Association of the United States Army Greater Atlanta Chapter, the United Service Organization, Army Community Service, the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, the Garrison Public Affairs Office and the Soldiers and NCOS of the USAG Headquarters and Headquarters Company, the latter of whom presented Grays with a flag flown over Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem from Aug. 6, 2010 until June 11.
Command Sgt. Maj. Karl Roberts, USAG command sergeant major, along with Sgt. Maj. Hector Navarro, USAG Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security sergeant major, presented Grays with the flag. “I’m a better leader because of you,” Roberts said, citing some of the experiences and accomplishments the two shared of their 547 day working relationship, which included drinking more than 400 cups of coffee, attending more than 850 meetings, taking part in 100 video teleconferences, attending 50 plus off post ceremonies, the firing of nine drivers and one butt chewing among others.
While the focus was on Grays, when she finally had a chance to speak, she pushed the success back on the people who work for her.
“None of this could have been done without you,” she said. “Allow me to say thank you.”
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