SLOAN, Nev. – Brig. Gen. David Elwell, 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command commanding general, and Brig. Gen. Kurt Hardin, 79th Sustainment Support Command deputy commanding general, were in attendance at the Grand Opening of the George W. Dunaway Army Reserve Center Memorialization Ceremony, named after the the second Sergeant Major of the Army who served from 1968 to 1970, in Sloan, Nev., April 12.
Known as a “Soldier’s Soldier,” Dunaway was a native of Richmond, Virginia, who began his military career in 1940 as a rifleman in the Virginia National Guard’s 29th Infantry Division. A member of the Airbourne and Special Operations forces, he served in France in World War II and participated in the Battle of the Bulge, during the first of his three combat tours.
“My father’s first love was the Army; we came second and we were OK with that,” said George R. Dunaway, the sergeant major’s son. “He was a great father and we are so proud that he was given this honor."
More than 200 attendees of the memorialization included Soldiers, civilians, veterans, family and friends that came to honor Dunaway. Twenty-four members of the large extended family included Suzanne Hunt, the daughter, and Michael Barnett, his grandson, who would make the closing remarks.
Special guests included legislative representatives Michael Klein, Brad Sensibaugh, Eric Guideng, and Governor Brian Sandoval representative Rosa Mendez, who all presented the family with honorary certificates. Retired Brig. Gen. Ashely J. Hall, former Nevada ambassador, was also in attendance.
The event organizer, Lt. Col. Debra Cisney, 63rd Brigade Support Battalion commander, was very thankful that the family could attend and thanked them for their patriarch’s service to the country, “We wanted to conduct a meaningful and lasting ceremony to remember the sacrifices that George W. Dunaway made,” said Cisney. “Our goal is to foster a positive training environment, where members of the Army Family can be successful.”
This state of the art building was nominated and approved for the Net Zero Program, which concentrates on energy, water and waste. The goal is to reduce estimated energy use by eight percent, which could have an overall savings of approximately $100,000 a year.
As though the clouds had parted and one was looking down from above, the desert winds subsided and it was a perfect day for this important ceremony. Saving the best for last, the sergeant major’s grandson, Michael Barnett, made a passionate speech, remembering the time he spent with his beloved grandfather.
“My grandfather deserves everything we can do for him and he deserves all the respect we can show him today,” said Barnett. “The American Soldier is among the greatest assets this country has and this new center will serve them well.”
The ceremony ended with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The family each held scissors and made the final salute to their beloved Soldier.
This new Reserve Center will house the 63rd Brigade Support Battalion, which officially conducted its activation ceremony Oct. 21, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas and is one of five brigades under the 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command.
The 311th ESC’s primary mission is to command the sustainment brigades that provide combat support and combat service support in the areas of supply, maintenance, transportation, field services and the functional brigades or battalions.