Col. Glenn K. Dickenson, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, returns the unit's colors to Command Sgt. Maj. Lynice D. Thorpe during the garrison's change-of-command ceremony on Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, at Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. (Greg Jones/U.S. Army)
Col. Glenn K. Dickenson, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, returns the unit's colors to Command Sgt. Maj. Lynice D. Thorpe during the garrison's change-of-command ceremony on Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, at Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. (Greg Jones/U.S. Army)
Col. Glenn K. Dickenson, incoming commander of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, receives the colors from Michael D. Formica, Installation Management Command-Europe Region director, during the garrison's change-of-command ceremony on Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, at Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. (Greg Jones/U.S. Army)
STUTTGART, Germany — The military community in Stuttgart, home to U.S. European and Africa Commands, welcomed a new garrison leader Friday.
Col. Glenn K. Dickenson replaced Col. John P. Stack, who after nearly three years in command is departing for a special-operations assignment in South Asia.
“This community, this German-American joint services community, is unlike any other in the world,” Stack said during the change-of-command ceremony at Patch Barracks. “As the only garrison with two combatant commands, U.S. Army Garrison also supports a number of diverse and critical organizations. These units are actively engaged in critical activities to our nation.”
Key achievements during his tenure have been cutting back on energy costs, expanding outreach to the military community and improving various quality-of-life services, Stack said. Those efforts culminated in 2014 with the garrison’s recognition as the Army’s most-improved facility.
The Stuttgart military community is home to roughly 22,000 Americans and includes troops from every branch of service. The garrison provides a range of support services, not only for AFRICOM and EUCOM, but also numerous other units such as special operations forces that routinely deploy to global hot spots.
Michael D. Formica, regional director for Installation Management Command-Europe Region, credited Stack for his leadership in Stuttgart. He also said Dickenson is prepared to step in and do the job.
“(Dickenson) has deployed to hot spots around the world and knows firsthand what soldiers need from installation management command,” Formica said.
Dickenson, who has served in various military intelligence positions before coming to Stuttgart, including deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, said he was eager to get started.
“I am humbled, honored and awestruck at the opportunity to lead the vast collection that makes up U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart,” he said.
