Over two centuries of military service honored at Celebration of Service

Photo By Master Sgt. Mark Boyer | U.S. Army Pacific Assistant Chief of Staff of Operations Brig. Gen. Bryan P. Fenton (center) presents Chief Warrant Officer 4 Tamara DeGrafenread, of Waipahu, Hawaii, with the Legion of Merit for her honorable retirement at the seventh quarterly Celebration of Service ceremony held at historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, Feb. 5. The USARPAC Celebration of Service ceremony brought together family, friends and colleagues of the honorees as they came together for a ceremonial expression of appreciation and gratitude for all the honorees have done for U.S. Army Pacific, for the U.S. Army and for their nation. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Boyer, U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs)  

FORT SHAFTER, HI, UNITED STATES

02.10.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Christopher McCullough 

U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Office

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii - On Feb. 5, family, friends and colleagues of nine U.S. Army Soldiers came together at historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, for a ceremonial expression of appreciation and gratitude for their combined 223 years of federal service to the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army Pacific and the nation.

"At USARPAC, we call it a Celebration of Service, because that's what we're here to do," said USARPAC's assistant chief of staff of operations, Brig. Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, who officiated the ceremony, "and that's to celebrate the service of nine experienced leaders - our 'One Team' teammates - who will transition from active duty to the honorable list of retired."

The nine retirees honored were Lt. Col. Johnny Davis, Kapolei, Hawaii; Lt. Col. Craig Jones, Honolulu; Maj. Robert Braughton, Portland, Oregon; Maj. Kenneth Gettinger, O'Fallon, Illinois; Capt. Megan Fowler, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Tamara DeGrafenread, Waipahu, Hawaii; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Fernando Medina, Puerto Rico; Sgt. Maj. Lloyd Gallimore, Hawaii; Sgt. 1st Class Bobby Arnold, Harker Heights, Texas.

USARPAC's Celebration of Service ceremony recognizes Soldiers for their distinguished service to U.S. Army Pacific and the U.S. as they prepare to transition into new careers. This was the seventh such celebration held with the intent of honoring retiring service members quarterly.

Over the course of the celebration, Fenton spoke to the audience about how these noteworthy Soldier's careers have impacted USARPAC. He also addressed how their devotion made the Army better, and personally thanked each of the honorees for the sacrifices they and their families have made.

"Congratulations again to all of the honorees on achieving this milestone of military retirement," Fenton said in closing. "A very special thanks to your families and to the supporting cast of these stars for all their decades of service as well. May God bless each of you in the next chapters of your story, and know that you always have a home this Ohana in the Pacific."

• Date Taken: 02.10.2016
• Date Posted: 02.10.2016 19:20
• Story ID: 188520
• Location: FORT SHAFTER, HI, US
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
• Hometown: HARKER HEIGHTS, TX, US
• Hometown: HONOLULU, HI, US
• Hometown: KAPOLEI, HI, US
• Hometown: O'FALLON, IL, US
• Hometown: PORTLAND, OR, US
• Hometown: WAIPAHU, HI, US