Page 11 - FCA Diamond Point Dec 24-smg review

AT THE FOREFRONT

Defense Finance and Accounting Service

The retirement ceremony of the Deputy Director of Operation, for the Defense

Finance and Accounting Services, COL (R) Mr. Aaron P. Gillison!

Good morning and thanks to all of you for attending in person and virtually.

Before I get started with my prepared remarks – All Paratroopers – STAND UP; now all Veterans
and Active Duty or Reserve Component members please stand up if you’re able. TEAM DFAS – this
is why we do what we do and why what we do matters!

Thank you, Reverend Samuel Massenberg, for the invocation. Reverend Massenberg conducted my
mother’s home-going service in 2014 and is the husband of LTC (RET) Lulu Jackson who our sons
call Lula-ma and has been my friend and sister since 1990. Samuel, you and Lulu are family, and
your being here today is very special.

Ms. Antoinette Harrell, let me add my thanks for the wonderful rendition of the National Anthem.

Tony [Hullinger], thank you for serving as the master of ceremonies and your kind comments. I am
proud of you as each position you’ve held at DFAS, you left it better than you found it.

Thanks to all those who made this ceremony possible.

Ladies and Gentlemen, no one gets to this point in their life without the support of others. It takes a
village, and I am a better person and teammate because of every one of you that influenced me
over the years.

I am grateful for all of you who made this combined military and federal civilian career possible.
This 19+ years portion of my journey was made possible because of Mr. Pat Shine, Tom Roberts,
and Sherman Johnson hiring me in 2005. Mr. Shine, I trust that I’ve made you proud. Two of Pat’s
secret weapons were --Tom Roberts, who was my Brigade Commander while deployed to Bosnia
as my defacto mentor, and Al Runnels, who was my battalion commander in Korea and then my
SES leader here in DFAS 2005 – 2008. Both nurtured my development as a DFAS civilian leader.

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