Photo By Patrick Buffett | Ron Kirklin II and his sister Shamekia place new rank insignia shoulder boards on...... read more read more
FORT LEE, Va. – More than 500 community members and guest dignitaries packed the Lee Club main ballroom here Dec. 5 to observe Col. Ronald Kirklin’s promotion to brigadier general.
Kirklin came to Fort Lee in June. He is the 53rd quartermaster general and commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School, which trains more than 18,000 students annually in nine enlisted career fields, five warrant officer specialties and the QM Basic Officer Leader Course. Training areas include aerial delivery, mortuary affairs, logistics movement and tracking, culinary, and petroleum and water distribution.
Maj. Gen. Stephen Lyons, Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee commanding general, presided over the promotion ceremony. In opening remarks, he shared highlights of Kirklin’s 27-year military career and said “there is no question about it,” the Army chose the right strategic leader for promotion to the general officer ranks at this important time in the nation’s history.
“What’s really most impressive to me is the hundreds of people in this audience who represent every assignment that Ron Kirklin has served in, from the Fulda Gap [Germany] to his current day position, and more than a dozen states and foreign countries in between,” Lyons said. “I have to say that your presence here today speaks volumes … way more than I could ever say in my remarks.”
Focusing on Kirklin’s career progression, Lyons said he has never shied away from tough assignments with increasing levels of responsibility. For example, back in 2004 when he had just wrapped up a stint as the course director for the Combined Captains Career Course at Fort Lee, he returned to Fort Hood, Texas – his third assignment with the highly deployed maneuver elements there – and took the deputy commander job for the 1st Cavalry’s Divisional Support Command while it was deployed to Taji, Iraq. Returning stateside in March 2005, Kirklin assumed command of the 215th Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and once again deployed with that unit to Iraq in 2006.
“At that time, as you recall, the president made the decision to surge the force and a 12-month tour became 15 months with operations that were meant to turn the tide on the situation in Iraq,” Lyons said.
Upon his eventual return to Fort Hood – by way of the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pa. – Kirklin took command of the 4th Sustainment Brigade and headed back to Iraq in 2011. “His was the last sustainment brigade in country, so he had the unenviable task of drawing down all of the forces and equipment that had accumulated over that 10-year period,” Lyons noted. “That was no easy task I can assure you. It is a tough, tough mission for a logistician.”
Further describing Kirklin as an individual who has “always been at the top percentage level of the officer corps,” Lyons said it’s not surprising that he was tagged for promotion. “I was part of that selection process,” he continued. “We looked at 2,394 officers, racking and stacking files just like any other board. The top echelon of those files is put out on the table and there’s lots of discussion about the remaining candidates. Let me tell you, we’ve got some great, incredible leaders in the United States Army, but we only selected four logisticians on that board. Ron Kirklin was one of them, and he’s more than deserving of that honor.”
Offering a final observation about Kirklin before concluding his remarks, Lyons said he would be the last person to boast about his accomplishments or gloat about his promotion.
“If you asked him what his most significant accomplishment in life has been thus far, he wouldn’t tell you any of the things I just mentioned … he just wouldn’t, he doesn’t talk about himself. He talks about his family. He talks about his community and the investment in others. It’s all about faith, family and friends for Ron Kirklin,” Lyons said. “So, his success doesn’t emanate from his rank. It really comes from who he is as a person – his character, his confidence and commitment to make everybody around him better.”
Joining the honoree on stage, Lyons looked on as son and daughter, Ron II and Shamekia, and brother and wife, Virgil and Phyllis, adorned his uniform with new rank insignia and shoulder boards. That was followed by the oath of office administered by the CASCOM commander, the traditional presentation of the general officer’s belt and pistol, and the uncasing of Kirklin’s one-star flag.
The newly promoted Quartermaster General then addressed the crowd and, living up to the description offered by Lyons, focused his comments on everyone but himself.
“I believe that success is not achieved individually; you don’t get there alone,” he said. “For every successful person, there are so many others who have played a major role in that individual’s accomplishments. So, I want to spend my time this morning thanking the entire team of leaders – both civilian and military – as well as Soldiers, friends and other members of the community for this moment.”
He began ticking off names and how they contributed to the ceremony or his career.
“I’ll start with my boss, Major General Lyons,” Kirklin said. “Sir, I can’t thank you enough for hosting today’s ceremony and for your trust and confidence in me as a leader. I know you’ve been very busy since taking command, and I’m truly honored that you made time for me and my family today.”
He thanked Lyon’s wife, Maureen, and Maj. Gen. Larry Wyche, former CASCOM commander and his wife Denise. He acknowledged a retired first sergeant in the audience who was the first to salute him when he graduated from the Mississippi Valley State ROTC program in 1987. He spoke highly of Lt. Gen. Gustave Pena, now the Army G-4 Deputy Chief of Staff, who has been a career coach and mentor to Kirklin since they served together at Fort Hood.
“It was my good fortune that you brought me to the 1st Cavalry Division many years ago when I was a young major,” Kirklin said. “You are an extraordinary leader and have been a great mentor who has coached and provided me with sound advice over the years, especially as I prepared to go to combat as a battalion commander and a brigade commander. You taught me the things I needed to know about training, TTPs [tactics, techniques and procedures], what I was going to face when I got (to Iraq) and what it would take to bring my Soldiers home. Thanks so much for that.”
Saving his final comments for his family, Kirklin thanked his mom who “always taught him to begin his day with gratitude and to never take for granted the good things that come your way in life.” He referred to his older brother – retired Lt. Col. Virgil Kirklin who took part in the promotion ceremony – as the “pathfinder who led him through thick and thin” over the years.
“I’ve been blessed with an amazing family and two wonderful kids,” Kirklin concluded. “Phyllis, you continue to make me happen every day. You are the foundation of this family. You’ve always allowed me to focus my job even when it meant sacrificing your own career and because of your support to the community, I’ve never had to worry about the families under my command while I was at home or deployed. Thank you so much for that.”
| Date Taken: | 12.11.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2014 10:56 |
| Story ID: | 150173 |
| Location: | FORT LEE, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 238 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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