The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
BY BILL HESS
Herald/Review
FORT HUACHUCA — Lt. Gen. Thomas F. Metz sees the Army as a family and its roots are its traditions.
As with any family, there are many activities that are important. Metz’s visit to the fort on Friday was to recognize the intelligence aspect of the Army at the change-of-command between Maj. Gen. Barbara G. Fast and Maj. Gen. John M. Custer III on Brown Parade Field.
 Ed Honda•Herald/Review Lt. Gen. Thomas F. Metz, right, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, leads an inspection of troops with Col. Greg Rose, deputy commander for training at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca; Maj. Gen. Barbara G. Fast, outgoing commander for Fort Huachuca and U.S. Army Intelligence Center; and Maj. Gen. John M. Custer III, incoming commander for Fort Huachuca and U. S. Army Intelligence Center. |
“We are a unique family, designed to fight,” said Metz, deputy commanding general for the Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, Va.
It is to TRADOC where Fast is heading to become the deputy for the Army’s Capabilities Integration Center.
Metz said Fort Huachuca is an example of the traditions that hold the Army together and its motto of “sabers to satellites” is an example from past to present while looking to the future.
Part of the post’s importance is the Intelligence Center. Under the more than two years of Fast’s command, the fort has become a world class training facility for soldiers, other services and civilians, the three-star general said.
Thousands of military members have gone to school at the center, and 20,000 others have been trained by Mobile Training Teams established under Fast’s leadership, he said.
“Barb, you and your team have done tremendous service for the Army,” Metz said. “You can look back on a job well done.”
The ceremony was a traditional event, with Metz deferring honors to him in favor of Fast as the 36th U.S. Army band played two ruffles and flourishes, and the general’s march as the post honor battery fired off 13 shots. The band trooped the line, playing a march. Metz, Fast and Custer reviewed Army, Marine Corps and Air Force units and B Troop, 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment (Memorial).
The flags and blue, maroon, orange and red guidons of the units on the field were marched front and center, following the national and service colors.
It was pageantry, which at the end included a charge by B Troop.
For Fast, it was a farewell.
Looking out over the historic parade field, she said it was a great day to be an American soldier and to be proud of all who came before.
The center has “the most dedicated work force I’ve every seen,” Fast said, and one of those was her “battle buddy,” Command Sgt. Maj. Franklin Saunders.
The people at the center have developed training programs to ensure the intelligence community is the best, she said.
“The innovation and doctrine all starts here. The litmus test are those (trainees) on the field,” Fast said.
The intelligence community on the fort isn’t all that’s important, the major general said. There are other units that are part of ensuring the post and the Army is well served.
The Network Enterprise Technology Command, Electronic Proving Ground, the Joint Interoperability Test Command and numerous other testing and developing functions, as well as the garrison, medical and dental commands and the 11th Signal Brigade, are “truly members of a national team,” Fast said.
Because of everything done on the post, “Fort Huachuca is not an island,” she said, although she joked it would be nice if it had an ocean beach and a little water.
As part of the ceremony, Metz presented her with a second Legion of Merit. It was noted she was also nominated for a Distinguished Service Medal. Her husband Paul was presented the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal.
Of Fast’s replacement, Metz said, “John is the right flag officer at the right time and right place.”
For the past four years, Custer has been the senior intelligence officer for the U.S. Central Command, the organization that has been in charge of the war against terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Metz gave Custer one piece of advice: “Love the soldiers.”
Before being assigned to CENTCOM, Custer was deputy commander of the Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca.
Saying his best adviser is his wife, Audrey, the general brought a laugh to the audience when he said she gave him a suggestion before the ceremony — he should look at the event as an Irish wake.
“They need your body for the ceremony, but you’re not expected to say much,” he said his wife told him.
Coming back to old friends on and off the post — the Team Huachuca and Team Cochise crowd — is something he looked forward to, Custer said.
“For many years I loved this parade field,” he said.
And the importance of intelligence in today’s Army, much of which has been done by Fast, means soldiers are in the forefront, he said.
Today’s intelligence soldiers are not only out front — the motto of the MI Corps — but those who want to be members of the Army’s intelligence community need to know it will be rough, Custer said.
“Bring your courage, baby,” he said.
HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615.
j. mclaughlin wrote on Jul 2, 2007 5:47 PM: