Photo By Gordon Van Vleet | Col. Scott Bird, NETCOM Deputy Commander for Operations, receives his retirement...... read more read more
FOR HUACHUCA Ariz. - What once seemed like a bridge too far for a young boy, literally turned into a long and distinguished career for an Army officer. That summed up the beginnings of a Soldier's Soldier, Col. Scott Bird, the Deputy Commander for Operations (DCO), U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, (NETCOM) as he was honored during a retirement ceremony, held in the command auditorium, Dec. 19, here.
“A little bit about Scott,” said NETCOM Commanding General and guest speaker, Maj. Gen. Christopher Eubank.
“He wanted to do this Army thing at an early age. It started in 1975 when he [Bird] was watching a movie with his dad called A Bridge Too Far. That movie was about Operation Market Garden [largest World War II allied airborne operation]. So, at that point, he was like ‘That’s for me! I want to jump out of planes.’ He thought it was cool, put on a ruck sack, machine gun, radio, and exit a perfectly good aircraft.”
“So, the journey began in 1975 and in 1993, he joined the Army after four years of college,” said Eubank. “And, by the time he hangs up his uniform for the last time, it will have been 30 years since he first put it on.”
“When it comes to service, I can’t think of anybody better to talk about service,” said Eubank. “Scott, for 30 years, has been the epitome of a leader and teammate. I’ll tell you; he has experienced more in the Army then [most] of us can imagine, and I think some of that has to do with [him] being a communicator.”
“He has done everything, from combat to humanitarian operations. But his last assignment here at NETCOM probably speaks volumes to what he can do,” said Eubank.
“What he [Bird] would tell you he is most proud of, is the culture and constant improvement of the support to the Army, our support, NETCOM,” said Eubank.
“We have some of the best Soldiers and Civilians the Army and our nation has to offer, to do the hard work of our NETCOM headquarters to help-support our units with their support of the commands.”
“When it comes right down to it, it is what we do every day to support in support of our warfighters and our nation, and that’s what he [Bird] would tell you he is most proud of. My hat’s off to him,” Eubanks said.
“So, Scott, you have had a huge impact on the Army, the nation, and most of all NETCOM,” Eubanks said in closing. “I am proud to have worked with you … proud to have served with you side-by-side.”
“I love the Army,” said Bird as he opened his remarks. “I cannot remember a time when I did not want to be a Soldier. Like Maj. Gen. Eubank said, as a little kid I watched A Bridge Too Far with my dad, and ever since then I wanted to be a Soldier. A paratrooper, not necessarily a British paratrooper, they actually had a pretty tough go over there, but an American paratrooper,” he said to the chuckle of the audience.
“I owe everything I have and almost everything that I am to the Army,” said Bird. “I’ve been privileged to serve some of the best people our nation has to offer. And this headquarters is no exception.”
“The Soldiers and Civilians of NETCOM’s global force work tirelessly for hundreds of thousands of other Soldiers and Civilians, many of whom do not know that we exist, and that’s okay.”
Bird summed up his time with NETCOM and the caliber of the people in the command when he said, “In this headquarters, I’ve never had to work harder in my life to feel mediocre than I do with the team I worked with every day here.”
Taking part in the ceremony was Bird’s nephew, Cadet Matrix Silberer, who participated in the ceremony by presenting him with his retirement flag.
In addition to his retirement flag, Bird received the Legion of Merit award for his exceptionally outstanding conduct in the performance of meritorious service to the United States while serving in a key position.
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.24.2022 00:00 |
| Story ID: | 435850 |
| Location: | SIERRA VISTA-FORT HUACHUCA AIRPORT, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 277 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Fond Farewell: Honoring 30 Years of Service, by Gordon Van Vleet, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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