Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
El Paso Times
May 1, 2008
Pg. 1
By Chris Roberts, El Paso Times
Johnnie Rae Stevens put her finger over the mouth of Olivia, her 4-month-old daughter, who grunted happily as Secretary of Defense Robert Gates entered the Fort Bliss Museum.
Stevens' father, Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Schatte, was among a group of 28 soldiers, all with 20 years or more of experience, who were retiring in a ceremony Wednesday conducted by Gates and attended by hundreds of soldiers and family members.
Also at the ceremony, 42 new enlistees from El Paso recruiting stations took the Army oath, and 32 Fort Bliss soldiers re-enlisted.
"This ceremony captures the spirit of America's all-volunteer Army, as some individuals leave our military family while others step forward to fill the ranks," said Gates, who will tour Fort Bliss today. He added that the retirees have "a total of 499 years" of service.
Another retiree was Col. Robert Burns, the post's garrison commander, who oversaw a more than $4 billion construction project preparing Fort Bliss to receive nearly 30,000 soldiers between 2005 and 2013. The new soldiers and their missions put Fort Bliss at the center of a huge Army transformation intended to make the force more adaptable, more survivable and more lethal.
Gates thanked the families for their support of the nation's war fighters who face repeated deployments. "It is difficult (for them) to truly be successful without the help and support of their loved ones," Gates said.
Among those re-enlisting was Sgt. Jason Knode, who is transferring from the post's Army Evaluation Task Force, which is testing Future Combat Systems equipment, to an assignment in Italy.
In 2005 and 2006, Knode was a forward observer in Iraq with the 101st Airborne.
"I feel like now that I'm a sergeant, I can teach younger soldiers how to be good leaders," Knode said.
Also at the ceremony was Knode's girlfriend, Beth Monk. "I'm kind of disappointed that he's leaving," she said, "but at least I know it's for a good cause."
Burns said he was honored to have Gates at his retirement ceremony. "It demonstrates his commitment to soldiers and their families," he said.
May 1, 2008
Pg. 1
By Chris Roberts, El Paso Times
Johnnie Rae Stevens put her finger over the mouth of Olivia, her 4-month-old daughter, who grunted happily as Secretary of Defense Robert Gates entered the Fort Bliss Museum.
Stevens' father, Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Schatte, was among a group of 28 soldiers, all with 20 years or more of experience, who were retiring in a ceremony Wednesday conducted by Gates and attended by hundreds of soldiers and family members.
Also at the ceremony, 42 new enlistees from El Paso recruiting stations took the Army oath, and 32 Fort Bliss soldiers re-enlisted.
"This ceremony captures the spirit of America's all-volunteer Army, as some individuals leave our military family while others step forward to fill the ranks," said Gates, who will tour Fort Bliss today. He added that the retirees have "a total of 499 years" of service.
Another retiree was Col. Robert Burns, the post's garrison commander, who oversaw a more than $4 billion construction project preparing Fort Bliss to receive nearly 30,000 soldiers between 2005 and 2013. The new soldiers and their missions put Fort Bliss at the center of a huge Army transformation intended to make the force more adaptable, more survivable and more lethal.
Gates thanked the families for their support of the nation's war fighters who face repeated deployments. "It is difficult (for them) to truly be successful without the help and support of their loved ones," Gates said.
Among those re-enlisting was Sgt. Jason Knode, who is transferring from the post's Army Evaluation Task Force, which is testing Future Combat Systems equipment, to an assignment in Italy.
In 2005 and 2006, Knode was a forward observer in Iraq with the 101st Airborne.
"I feel like now that I'm a sergeant, I can teach younger soldiers how to be good leaders," Knode said.
Also at the ceremony was Knode's girlfriend, Beth Monk. "I'm kind of disappointed that he's leaving," she said, "but at least I know it's for a good cause."
Burns said he was honored to have Gates at his retirement ceremony. "It demonstrates his commitment to soldiers and their families," he said.