Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Charlotte Reavis | Brig. Gen. Norman B. Green, commander of the 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command,...... read more read more
FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - The commander of the 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, based in San Antonio, was promoted from the rank of colonel to brigadier general during a ceremony at the historic Quadrangle here, Sept. 14.
Brig. Gen. Norman B. Green, a Columbia, S.C., native, has served more than 26 years in the Army Reserve and also serves in a civilian capacity as a member of the Department of Homeland Security.
“What a privilege it is for me to be here today to be able to promote a great soldier, a working leader,” said Maj. Gen. Megan Tatu, the commanding general of the 79th Sustainment Support Command, based out of Los Alamitos, Calif. “I am deeply honored to officiate the promotion of Norm Green to the general officer ranks.”
Col. Daniel Keller, the ceremony’s Commander of Troops and the 4th ESC Chief of Staff, noted the significance of the rank of brigadier general.
“We were able to demonstrate to the local community, to the soldiers and families, the respect that is accorded to a brigadier general and what a brigadier general means to the Army in general in terms of leadership,” said Keller of the ceremony. “The Army’s purpose in life is to fight and win our nation’s wars and that rank, that position as the commander of a unit such as the 4th ESC, is absolutely critical to achieving that.”
During his military career, Green has served during multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and has led troops in areas throughout the world in various capacities. He said he would not be where he is today were it not for the support of the Department of Homeland Security where he has worked as a special agent since 2007.
“My supervisors have been extremely supportive of my military responsibilities,” said Green. “With the high op-tempo that today’s Army brings, my supervisors have numerous times been understanding and supportive when last minute missions call me away from my work.”
During the ceremony, Green presented Brian Moskowitz, Homeland Security special agent in charge and Cardell Morant, Homeland Security assistant special agent in charge, the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award.
“This award recognizes supervisors and bosses nominated by a guardsman or reservist employee for support provided directly to the nominator,” said Green. “Without their support I would not have been able to accomplish the mission and serve my country.”
Moskowitz said it would be unthinkable for Green’s civilian employer to give anything other than their full support of his Army Reserve career.
“I find it hard to fathom how we could be anything but 110 percent supportive of Norm or any other person who give of themselves on two fronts to support their country,” said Moskowitz. “I couldn’t be prouder to call him one of our own and I was honored to see him receive his star.”
The success Green has seen in his Army Reserve career translates well in meeting the challenges of his civilian job.
“Being a Homeland Security Investigations special agent exposes a person to an incredibly broad array of people, both good and bad, and many challenges,” said Moskowitz. “Green is clearly a leader among his peers; his personality and leadership skills benefit our agency as much as they do the Army.”
Tatu said the entire Army Reserve currently has approximately 205,000 soldiers and Green was promoted into the ranks of only 130 general officers.
“It took resilience and perseverance,” said Tatu. “When we pin this star on Norm Green today, we’re not just recognizing his sacrifices, his accomplishments, but we’re symbolically recognizing all of his Soldiers that he has led. It can be said that this promotion to general officer is as much an institutional accomplishment as it is a personal one. And too it is unquestionably a family accomplishment.”
Green’s wife, Sandra, agreed that their family plays a significant role in accomplishment of the Army Reserve mission.
“You cannot have one without the other,” said Sandra Green of Soldiers and their families. “We’re pieces of the puzzle and we work together in unison.”
Having honorably retired from an active duty Army career, Sandra Green knows well how much family support means to service members. “It takes a lot of understanding and patience, and then allowing them the freedom to do what they have to do,” she said.
Green’s promotion ceremony included an 11-gun cannon salute, the presentation of a one-star general officer flag, and the administering of the general’s belt. The 323rd U.S. Army Band performed prior to the ceremony, “General’s March”, “Ruffle and Flourish”, and concluded the ceremony with “The Army Song.”
Green’s daughter, Adria, pinned his star on his chest while his mother, Margaret, pinned his patrol cap and his wife presented him with the general’s belt. Green also recognized several family members, civilian co-workers and fellow soldiers during the ceremony.
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 09.23.2013 18:36 |
| Story ID: | 114130 |
| Location: | FORT SAM HOUSTON, TX, US |
| Hometown: | HOUSTON, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 1,383 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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