Photo By Christopher Rich | Col. Gabe Weaver, incoming U.S. Army Garrison Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield...... read more read more
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield staff said farewell to Col. Marc Austin and welcomed their new Garrison Commander, Col. Gabe Weaver, during a change of command ceremony held at Cashe Gardens, July 22.
Weaver said he was humbled by the opportunity to serve this installation and the people who call it home.
“There’s a strong foundation already in place and working with our incredible teams, soldiers, and dedicated civilians – I’m sure that we can continue to excel and make this a place where people want to be,” Weaver said.
U.S. Army Installation Command Installation Directorate-Readiness Director, Patrick Appelman, presided over the ceremony and remarked he is encouraged by the leadership exhibited at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield.
“I’m excited to see you lead and command U.S. Army Garrison Fort Stewart,” Appelman said. “I’m confident you will invest the same passion, professionalism, and energy into the duties of being the garrison commander each and every day of your command.”
He also highlighted Austin’s accomplishments while in the seat and the positive changes he leaves behind.
“You focused your efforts on the heart and soul of the garrison always putting soldiers, families, and civilians first,” he said. “Reshaping service delivery and organizational structure while maintaining support to the 3ID, scheduled trainings and deployments.”
Austin also reshaped the garrison community engagement strategy by fostering partnerships with local leaders across counties, schoolboards, and developmental authorities, resulting in a groundbreaking IGSA [inter-governmental service agreement] with Georgia Southern University to provide power-BI training and enhance data driven decisions. He also launched Leadership Stewart-Hunter and Stewart-Hunter Onboarding Outboarding Program.
Maj. Gen. Chris Norrie, Fort Stewart and 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, took a moment to speak on Austin’s achievements.
“This team is stronger today than it was when you took command,” Norrie said. “It is healthy, it is vibrant, it is forward looking, it is strong, and you have done all those things.”
Austin then reflected on his own time as garrison commander, which he said wasn’t just him but everyone in the garrison and community.
“I just want to say thank you, and I’ll ask you to give yourselves a round of applause because you made this happen,” Austin said.
His two-year tenure included working with his team to navigate three hurricanes and a snowstorm.
“We sat down, and we said we have to be predictable; we have to be able to communicate, we have to be accountable, and we have to integrate with the community,” he said.
He then turned to Weaver and left him with a piece of advice.
“Every day is an adventure, everything is something different,” Austin said. “This job, Gabe, you’re going to learn every day, just need to embrace it cause these people are fantastic.”
Austin is set to serve as director of Future Warfare Division, Army Futures and Concepts Center at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
Prior to taking command of Fort Stewart, Weaver was a student at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania where he received his master’s in strategic studies. Before that, he served as the chief logistician for 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas.
He is a native of Gadsden, Alabama, and he was commissioned into the Army through ROTC as a Transportation Corps officer in August 2002 from Jacksonville State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in media communications. He holds a master’s degree in project management from the Florida Institute of Technology.
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2025 21:03 |
| Story ID: | 543568 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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