AMC chief of staff earns his second star

By Ms. Cherish Washington (AMC)March 11, 2013

Promotion
Maj. Gen. Darrell Williams takes on the stars of a two-star general at his promotion ceremony Friday. Colin, Williams' son (left) and Jocelyn Williams' daughter (right) add two star shoulder boards to their father's uniform. He serves as the chief of... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The Army Materiel Command held a promotion ceremony for its chief of staff Friday at Bob Jones Auditorium.

Staff, family and friends near and far gathered to see Maj. Gen. Darrell Williams promoted to the rank of two-star general. AMC commander Gen. Dennis Via presided over the ceremony.

"The showing of people is a testament to the kind of Soldier, the kind of friend, and kind of leader we are promoting to the rank of major general today," Via said.

Via also remarked on the weight of receiving the rank, noting that only 121 of the 18,000 officers in the Army rise to major general. Of those, the Army only selected three logisticians.

"I cannot think of a more qualified leader to synchronize the functions of AMC," Via said of the work Williams has done as the chief of staff.

Williams' remarks were heartfelt, addressing mentors, family and in particular, the Soldier.

"The bottom line up front is thank God and thank you," Williams said. "It was never my goal to become a general officer."

The young man of nine siblings had plans to become an industrial psychologist, but somehow, with a little fate, he enrolled in ROTC while in college.

"I've served with countless officers that worked just as hard, who were equally talented, and whose families endured just as many sacrifices. I stand before you today not because I'm more deserving," Williams said. "The explanation is best articulated by the title of a song written by my sister who recently passed away, 'He Chose Me.'"

He credited his promotion to the people who laid the foundation for his success, thanking his wife for being the "secret sauce" in his life, career and family and his children for upholding the family name.

As a final tribute, he shared the numbers of the many lives lost since Sept. 11, 2001, and played a short video set to the Toby Keith song, "American Soldier."

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