Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Neil W. McCabe | Australian Army Maj. Gen. Christopher A. Field, the deputy commanding general of U.S....... read more read more
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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait--The deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Central attended the June 4, 2021 change of command ceremony for the Regional Contracting Center-Kuwait held here at the main chapel.
Australian Army Maj. Gen. Christopher A. Field, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Central, said he was thrilled to be a part of the change of command ceremony when Lt. Col. Jamarcus A. Brooks relinquished command to Lt. Col. Melody L. Varner after Brooks' 12-month tenure at the RCC-KU. Soldiers and civilian workers here provide supply and service contracting beyond a unit's routine requisitions.
The RCC-KU also trains military contingency contracting officers and deploys them to United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Oman and Iraq for training exercises and to support deployed units.
"The Regional Contracting Center-Kuwait is absolutely vital to the work that U.S. Army Central does in the Middle East in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility," Field said.
"It's magnificent to see two wonderful leaders, the outgoing Colonel Brooks and the incoming Colonel Varner," the general said. "They put their heart and soul into their work."
Col. Richard H. Pfeiffer, commander of the 408th Contracting Support Brigade, RTC-Kuwait's higher headquarters, said to the attendees that he was honored to be a part of the ceremony.
He said Brooks had done an exemplary job at the RCC-KU, where he and his team oversaw $30 million in contracts, in addition to handling a $7.1 billion delegated contract portfolio.
Pfeiffer said that he recognized that Varner is not a stranger to RCC-KU because she served as the unit's executive officer.
Before the ceremony began Pfeiffer presented Brooks with the Meritorious Service Medal, surrounded by the center's civilian and military personnel.
"What the Army does well is, unfortunately, it turns over really well," he said
“The one constant in the Army is change,” he said.
When someone looks at the leaders changing on the stage, it is important to look at the people in the audience who are not changing to continue with the missions," he said. "To ensure the new commander has the knowledge that she needs to make decisions to ultimately serve the customers."
After Brooks relinquished command, he told the unit's Soldiers and the guests that he had full confidence in Varner.
"I believe they have chosen the right officer to assume the mantle and lead the organization to even greater heights," he said.
"Lt. Col. Melody Varner, I wish you the same wonderful experience that I had leading this organization and being part of the greater good here," she said.
In her remarks, Varner expressed her gratitude to the outgoing commander.
"I want to thank Lt. Col. Brooks for all of his efforts in making this organization," she said.
"Marcus, thank you for our many conversations and your professionalism assisting me during this transition," she said. "I wish you and your family all the best as you embark on the next chapter of your life in Maryland."
Montana National Guard Staff Sgt. Emily Taylor, contract administrator, RCC-Kuwait, said that she would miss Brooks.
"He was a very personable leader," the Marysville, Montana, native said.
"He was very easy to talk to about any issues," she said. "I felt like he was a great listener and he's dedicated to his Soldiers."
Brooks said that as he looks back at his 12 months as the RCC-KU commander, he is struck by the quality of the center's people.
"There were a number of changes we went through in the course of the last year," he said.
"Reshaping the organization to reshaping and reorganizing the theater of operations--them buying into it was really what made this thing work," the colonel said.
"The people who work for this organization are some of the brightest and most passionate and most daring folks I've ever been around," he said.
"Just knowing that I could have trusted those folks from day one was integral. I know sometimes that trust has to be built over time," he said. "But, these folks absolutely earned my trust, and they did it very early on."
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2021 02:25 |
| Story ID: | 398554 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 570 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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