Army Contracting Officer’s Journey

Photo By Kari Hawkins | Col. William Trimble thanks his youngest daughter, Laila, for putting his right side colonel shoulder strap in place during his promotion ceremony Sept. 8, 2017, at the Sparkman Center, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Trimble is the military deputy commander of the Army Contracting Command-Redstone. His older daughter, Darby, placed his left side shoulder strap. His son William III and wife Amira placed the colonel shoulder marks on his Army jacket. With the family is officiate Col. David Hosna.  

REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, UNITED STATES

09.14.2017

Story by Kari Hawkins  

U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command

The journey of an Army officer was celebrated Sept. 8 by the Redstone Arsenal contracting community as the insignia of a full-bird colonel was placed on his uniform’s shoulder boards.

Col. William Trimble, the military deputy director for the Army Contracting Command-Redstone, was surrounded by family and friends along with ACC-Redstone co-workers as he was promoted, taking yet another step in his career as an Army leader.

“This is a career milestone for Will to achieve,” said officiate Col. David Hosna, the former commander of the Defense Contract Management Agency-Huntsville, who worked with Trimble at the 903rd Contracting Battalion in Germany. “Will started his journey toward this milestone in 1990 when he joined the Army Reserve.”

A native of Clanton, Alabama, Trimble began his 27-year career with the Army when he joined the Army Reserve as a Materiel Storage and Handling specialist. He attending Alabama State University and Troy State University in Montgomery, and received his commission from Auburn University in Montgomery where h ewas a member of the ROTC program. Upon graduation in 1995, he commissioned as an Infantry officer, and served at the 1st Armored Division, Fort Riley, Kansas; and 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Hovey, Korea; and commanded a company at the Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia.

Trimble then joined the Army’s Acquisition Corps, with leadership assignments as a contingency contracting officer with the 408th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort McPherson, Georgia; contingency contracting team leader and battalion executive officer with the 903rd Contingency Contracting Battalion, Germany; and military contingency contracting team leader and deputy district contracting chief with the Corps of Engineers, New Orleans; commander, Army Contracting Command-Qatar, Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar; and deputy commander, DCMA-Middle East, Kuwait City, Kuwait. His career has included three tours in the Middle East.

“I met Will when he was assigned to the 903rd Contingency Contracting Battalion, which I commanded. I saw the professional he was and his ability to provide operational contracting support to the Joint Task Force-East in Bulgaria,” Hosna said. “Will had the experience of providing contracting support to build a base camp in the hills of Bulgaria. It was built under estimated cost and ahead of schedule. The support was absolutely phenomenal and led to his next experience.”

Hosna next assigned Trimble to provide support to the U.S. Army Africa (USARAF) for its first major multinational exercise on the African continent.

“The budget was well below reality,” Hosna said. “I sent Will and his team in to look at the assets of the USARAF and to build facilities to support the exercise in Uganda, Africa. I sent the best guys forward to provide support.

“Will knew the challenges but all he said was ‘Sir, I’ve got this.’ He remembered why we are here. We are enabling the mission through contracting support. Will’s demeanor and how he carried himself under pressure during that time is a testament to the person he is.”

Trimble continued to provide a high level of support as he went on to other assignments of increasing responsibility that grew his experience in Army contracting, Hosna said.

“In his career, Will has worked operations, and as an Infantry officer and an Acquisition officer. He has done the type of contracting work that has made a difference for Soldiers. He is a testament to a system that identifies and grows leaders. The Army leadership system selects the right guys,” Hosna said.

Trimble thanked all those who attended the Friday afternoon promotion ceremony, including two of his previous command sergeants major – Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Agee, who he played football with in high school and who he reconnected with 10 years later while both were serving in Bosnia; and Command Sgt. Maj. William Kaundart, the retired Security Assistance Command sergeant major who was his first sergeant as a company commander.

He especially thanked his parents for the high standards they expected from him during his early years. Trimble gave credit to Army mentors and leaders as well as friends and family for helping him accomplish his goals.

“I’m not the most talented. I’m not a super star. I got here because of a great family and great friends, and the opportunity to serve with very good people who pushed me along or reached back to help pull me up,” he said.

• Date Taken: 09.14.2017
• Date Posted: 09.14.2017 16:44
• Story ID: 248328
• Location: REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, US
• Hometown: REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, US