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Soldiers, civilians and families gathered to honor and say farewell to Soldiers of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command at a retreat and retirement ceremony July 28 on Panzer parade field in Kaiserslautern.
This month’s ceremony included a special tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The names of three Soldiers who died during Operation Enduring Freedom were unveiled at the 21st TSC memorial site.
Brig. Gen. Mark Hendrix, the commanding general of the 7th Civil Support Command and deputy commanding general for the 21st TSC, was the guest speaker for the event.
“Now, more than ever, we are so heavily engaged against an enemy so relentless and so determined,” Hendrix said to the gathered audience. “It is even more important that we pause from time to time to honor our traditions, to remember from whence we came, to recommit ourselves to the profession of arms and to each other.”
Maj. Gen. Patricia McQuistion, commanding general of the 21st TSC, and Command Sgt. Maj. James Spencer, command sergeant major of the 21st TSC, laid a wreath of flowers at the 21st TSC monument during the ceremony as the names of the three recently fallen 21st TSC heroes were unveiled.
The three warriors were Staff Sgt. Joshua Throckmorton, 527th Military Police Company, Spc. Jordan Schumann, 527th Military Police Company, and Spc. Preston Suter, 527th Military Police Company.
The retirement portion of the ceremony highlighted the service of Col. Sharon Duffy, the 21st TSC’s deputy commanding officer, and Master Sgt. Ray Torres, the battalion operations and training noncommissioned officer in charge for the 565th
Engineer Battalion in Schwetzingen, Germany.
Duffy was presented the Legion of Merit Award and Torres received the Meritorious Service Medal from McQuistion as she thanked them for their devotion to duty.
“The traditions of the Army are legendary. It just means so much to each and every single person,” said Duffy about her feelings on the eve of her retirement after 30 years of service. “You do not realize how much it means to you until you’re about to become a civilian.”
“I am finishing up a 22-year career,” Torres said. “I think that the years have made me ready for civilian life. I am happy.”
The ceremony concluded with the singing of 21st TSC March and the Army Song.
