Pledging an active community presence while taking command weeks ago, U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) Commander Col. Charles Seaberry has already participated in multiple local events.
From a welcome reception for Arizona Western College’s recently elevated tenth president to conducting a YPG resident town hall in his second week in command, Seaberry has been visible in the community.
Simultaneously, he has been getting to know the nearly 2,500 personnel who make YPG Yuma County’s premier science and technology workplace, both on the job and at events like the quarterly YPG Housing Town Hall.
“It is the greatest honor of my career to serve alongside you,” he said in an introductory video to the workforce recorded in the middle of the week. “Years from now, Soldiers are going to operate some of the systems that are tested here. Most of those Soldiers won’t know your name or the countless hours you spent downrange, but they will trust that capability and test data you provide with their life.”
From his change of command on June 11 forward, Seaberry has sought to make connections in the greater Yuma community, long known as being notably supportive of the military.
“Over the last few weeks I’ve had the unique opportunity to go out in the community and hear from a lot of the leaders,” he said. “A lot of the community leaders have relayed to me why this region is so special: It is obvious that Yuma has always succeeded because of its partnerships.”
On June 24 Seaberry had an opportunity to speak in praise of one such partnership at a reception event for Dr. Reetika Dhawan, recently promoted president of Yuma’s Arizona Western College, that drew scores of prominent members of the Yuma community. For nearly three years, YPG has had an Educational Partnership Agreement with the school that has become a model for the Army Test and Evaluation Command in upskilling and reskilling members of the workforce. The ability for YPG personnel to take training opportunities locally instead of at universities hundreds of miles away means significant gains in efficiency and stretching YPG’s training dollars further.
“Yuma Proving Ground tests and evaluates the equipment and technologies to help ensure that our Soldiers remain the best equipped and the best prepared force in the entire world,” Seaberry said in his remarks. “That mission depends on talented technicians, engineers, and analysts, many of whom began their education at Arizona Western College.”
Seaberry is looking forward to keynoting the Caballeros de Yuma’s 40th annual Independence Day Flag Raising ceremony at Yuma’s Armed Forces Park at 7:30 A.M. on July 4, as well as numerous other community appearances that will occur in the months ahead.
“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future,” Seaberry said at the AWC event. “As I look out and see all the prominent members of this community, I hope that I can be a friend.”