Army Brig. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, right, commander of the Joint Multinational Training Command, hands the guidon to Col. Thomas Mackey, incoming commander of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, during an assumption-of-command ceremony at Hohenfels, Germany, Aug. 14, 2014. (Caleb Barrieau/U.S. Army )
Army Brig. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, right, commander of the Joint Multinational Training Command, hands the guidon to Col. Thomas Mackey, incoming commander of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, during an assumption-of-command ceremony at Hohenfels, Germany, Aug. 14, 2014. (Caleb Barrieau/U.S. Army )
Col. Thomas Mackey, the Joint Multinational Readiness Center commander of operations group; Lt. Col. Patrick Kinsman, the JMRC deputy commander of operations group; and Brig. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of the Joint Multinational Training Command, inspect the troops during an assumption-of- command ceremony held at the Hohenfels training facility, Aug. 14, 2014. (Caleb Barrieau/U.S. Army)
GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — Col. Thomas Mackey assumed command of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center at Hohenfels during a ceremony Thursday.
Mackey, a career infantry officer of 25 years, is replacing Col. John Norris, who was reassigned to the Joint Planning Support Element in Norfolk, Va., in June.
Hohenfels underwent substantial changes during Norris’ tenure, including a mass restructuring of manpower and the dissolution of the garrison’s individual command. Mackey hopes to bring a measure of stability to one of Europe’s largest proving grounds.
“I think for ... what we’re doing here at JMRC, it’s making sure that we really maintain the standards that have been set here, in terms of providing a world-class training experience, both the U.S. brigades, but also our multinational partners,” he said.
The JMRC coordinates training on the 40,000-acre Hohenfels Training Area.
Mackey previously served as commander of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Besides maintaining the operational standards, Mackey said, family welfare will be his other command priority, ensuring there is a good local support network.
