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“Wind of Change” by the German rock band Scorpions is not a song you would expect to hear at a military ceremony.
Yet, it seemed the perfect prelude to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s retreat and retirement ceremony at the parade field on Panzer Kaserne Oct. 30.
Historic and poignant sound bites further reinforced the celebratory mood.
Prominent among them was the famous excerpt from President Ronald Reagan’s speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on June 12, 1987.
“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” echoed across the parade field just moments before the playing of the German and American national anthems.
After all, the ceremony served three very important functions: It served to honor the U.S. and German flags during the sounding of retreat, it honored two 21st TSC Soldiers who were retiring from the Army after each serving 20 years, and it celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany with a number of German dignitaries present and two guest speakers emphasizing the effects of the historic event.
“When the Berlin Wall fell it was symbolic of many things. It signified the demise of communism and the end of the Cold War. Germany’s unification was a major event that changed the political scene in Europe and worldwide,” said Brig. Gen. Patricia E. McQuistion, commanding general of the 21st TSC.
Retired Bundeswehr Col. Hans-Adolf Wimmer, the first guest speaker, said hundreds of East German citizens were killed attempting to climb the Berlin Wall. He spoke of them living without the basic rights of freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion we take for granted.
Retired Lt. Col. Wesley Copeland, who currently serves as the support operations officer for the 21st TSC’s Theater Logistics Support Center-Europe, spoke of his time in the Army during that eventful period. He recalled when his unit was detailed to reinforce the Berlin Brigade.
“It was Aug. 13, and the Berlin Wall was being erected. The commander of the 1/18th Infantry ‘Vanguards’ was Col. Glover S. Johns, a veteran of World War II. (He) led us over 435 miles in a 491 vehicle convoy through 20 Soviet divisions and 110,000 East German Soldiers to reinforce the U.S. garrison in that beleaguered city,” he said.
While Colonel Copeland drew a picture of how military service and equipment of the time differed from today, he also emphasized some commonalities.
“Our deployment to Berlin to reinforce the 11,000-man U.S. garrison was similar to your deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Your (deployments) are a fight against global terrorism, and ours was a fight against world communism,” he said.
Colonel Copeland said the people and democracy were the winners on Nov. 9, 1989, when the borders opened and the East German government allowed its citizens to visit the West.
The united Germany of today appealed to at least two people who were present at the ceremony: Sgt. 1st Class Felisha Williams and Sgt. 1st Class Ted Garcia, who have chosen to remain in Germany after their retirement, the colonel said.
Sergeant Williams, who served with the 21st TSC support operations section, will stay in Kaiserslautern with her husband of 17 years, Ricky Williams.
“I love Germany and the German people. I also like to travel and learn about different cultures, so this is the place for now,” she said.
Sergeant Garcia, who served as the 21st TSC’s supervisor for the transportation integrated branch land section, said he feels the same way.
“I have been in Germany since 1998, and love it here. I am not ready to leave yet,” he said.
Sergeant Garcia will make Baumholder, Germany, his home and hopes to transfer into a civilian career while continuing to work in the Army’s transportation field.
