Photo By Terrance Bell | Lt. Col. Kimberly Furhman, commander of troops, leads the brigade element toward the...... read more read more
FORT LEE, Va, (Aug. 3, 2017) -- The Dragon Brigade has a new leader.
Col. Gregory S. Townsend ceremoniously accepted the colors and took on the responsibilities of commanding the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade, replacing Col. Tamatha A. Patterson in a change of command ceremony Friday at Seay Field.
Brig. Gen. Rodney D. Fogg, Quartermaster General, presided over the ceremony attended by a large number of dignitaries including former QM Corps leader Lt. Gen. Gwen Bingham, family members of both officers and well-wishers from near and far.
In his usual mix of humor and folksiness, Fogg thanked the chaplain for staving off thunderstorms that threatened the ceremony. On a more serious note, he welcomed the crowd then took time to talk about what Patterson has meant to the 23rd QM Bde.
“She has served faithfully for two years, and during those two years, her energy has never failed, her passion remains strong, her willingness to go the extra mile for her leaders, Soldiers and organization has been at the forefront of everything she does,” he said. “She has definitely served her unit and the Army in an outstanding fashion and achieved tremendous results, leading her team through every challenge. The expectations have always been met and exceeded.”
Among Patterson’s achievements are multiple leader development efforts, the launch of a Sexual Harassment/ Assault Response and Prevention app that was adopted by the Training and Doctrine Command and outreach endeavors that included 60,000 man-hours of community service directed toward citizens living in the central Virginia region.
Additionally, Fogg made note of Patterson’s willingness to use her skillset and resources to impact the careers of others.
“Her reputation is one of high standards and an unyielding desire to develop leaders,” he said. “I saw her develop leaders all the time. She is an outstanding role model to others.”
Patterson, who received the Legion of Merit award prior to the ceremony, articulated messages of gratitude for the military members and civilians who supported her in the training and administration of troops assigned to the brigade.
“I know many of you have made many sacrifices and continue to do so to make sure our Soldiers receive the best training possible,” she said. “Thank you all for the dedication and sacrifice you make for this command and continue to make for our Army.”
Townsend, who was last assigned to the U.S. Africa Command headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, showed a sense of humor during his remarks, thanking his wife Jennifer for being the “jumpmaster back at the Chesapeake (location of his current residence) command post,” he said.
“Sometimes, you probably wish you had some airlift (capability), especially when the van goes out like it did on the way here yesterday. But I appreciate everything you do for the family.”
Townsend also thanked his kids, all of whom were present, saying “thanks for supporting me and our extended Army family. I love you and hope these Soldiers inspire you to recognize how great this nation is and the responsibility we have for our citizens and the world.”
Lastly, Townsend thanked Fogg for the opportunity to lead Soldiers.
“The responsibility of our mission to provide combat-ready Soldiers to the joint force is awe-inspiring, and therefore, I pledge to bring inspirational Soldier training and leader development, building on the foundation of my predecessors,” he said.
The 23rd QM Brigade supports the training of more than 23,000 troops attending the Quartermaster School on a yearly basis. Instructors assigned to its subordinate units teach more than 80 individual courses.
The brigade, comprised of three battalions, also includes Echo Company, 266th QM Bn. based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis; the 508th Transportation Company, 266th QM Bn., a support element; and detachments of Marines and Airmen.
| Date Taken: | 08.03.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.03.2017 10:17 |
| Story ID: | 243538 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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