The new garrison command team for Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, Col. Kevin Gregory and Command Sgt. Maj. Louis C. Felicioni, took charge Friday following a change of command and change of responsibility ceremony at Cottrell Field.
The ceremony was led by Davis D. Tindoll, Jr., director of the Installation Management Command Atlantic Region.
Like their predecessors, Col. Kevin Milton and Command Sgt. Maj. James Ervin, this is Gregory and Felicioni’s first garrison assignment.
Tindoll noted that the Army doesn’t train its officers to be garrison commanders, where they’ll take on the role of installation “mayors,” responsible for the well-being of soldiers and their families while also sustaining environmental programs, morale, welfare and recreation programs, logistics, public works and especially installation funding.
“We’ll try to get our families settled first, understand garrison operations, find out what’s going on,” Gregory said, adding he’d also have to get used to Georgia summers. “We plan to continue the mission. Coming from a purely tactical command standpoint, I see my biggest challenge to be understanding garrison operations. We have a great staff and people to work with. I’ve met several of the local mayors, and I want to get to know them better.”
Gregory and Milton are field artillery officers. Both men are combat veterans and graduates of the Command and General Staff College. Both men also enjoy outdoor sports.
“I like to hunt, fish and golf,” Gregory said. “And I’ve already been checking into hunting and fishing opportunities here in Georgia.”
Felicioni, an Apache helicopter repairman, comes to Stewart-Hunter from Korea, where he served as command sergeant major for an aviation battalion. Prior to that tour, he was command sergeant major for an aviation battalion at Hunter.
“I’m familiar with Georgia summers,” Felicioni said, grinning. “And though I may not be fully aware of garrison operations, I know my job as command sergeant major is to make sure my soldiers are taken care of and everything runs smoothly.”
Gregory and Felicioni summarize their immediate goals by saying they serve Stewart-Hunter soldiers and their families and the surrounding communities.
Milton’s new assignment is the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Ervin is headed for Aberdeen Proving Ground.