New commander
takes charge at Fort
FARRAH MAFFAI Maj. Gen. William H. Russ, outgoing commander Lt. Col. Stephen N. Wood and incoming commander Lt. Col. Anthony D. Reyes stand at attention for the national anthem during the Fort Monmouth change of command ceremony June 27.
Lt. Col. Anthony Reyes, a N.J. native, returns to Garden State to fill post
By SHERRY CONOHAN
Staff Writer
FORT MONMOUTH — With plenty of pomp and ceremony and more than a few "hooahs," Lt. Col. Stephen N. Wood relinquished command of the U.S. Army garrison here to Lt. Col. Anthony D. Reyes.
The traditional ritual June 27 left Reyes, a native of East Orange, in charge of the physical plant at the Army base, which was under Wood’s command for two years. Wood has been reassigned to Fort Belvoir, Va.
Chaplain Andy Walker noted at the outset of the program that Wood had been known affectionately as "lead dog" during his tenure, and said fort personnel was excited about Reyes’ vision and personal leadership style.
After Wood conducted a final inspection of the soldiers massed on the field of Cowan Park, the authority vested in him was ceremonially passed to Reyes with the command’s colors, a teal blue and yellow flag.
Wood took the flag from the color guard and handed it to Maj. Gen. William H. Russ, the commander of U.S. Army Communica-tions-Electronics Command, who passed it on to Reyes as a symbol of his new command.
Eatontown Mayor Gerald J. Tarantolo, who was among those attending the change of command ceremony, along with Tinton Falls Mayor Ann Y. McNamara, said afterward that he looked forward to continuing the good relationship with Reyes that he had with Wood. He said Reyes, whom he will be meeting soon, had assured him he wants to maintain that rapport.
"I feel very confident he’s going to continue the nice arrangement and interaction we have with Fort Monmouth," the mayor said.
Tarantolo said the fruits of the good relationship included the fort’s agreeing to host the borough’s fireworks display this past Tuesday, despite the continued high security at the base in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
He noted the Army found a remote part of the fort for the fireworks, opening the football stadium of the West Point preparatory school to the borough. The stadium has bleachers where those attending could sit, and the Army provided the platform for the two bands that played before the fireworks — a rock band and the municipal band —from 6-9 p.m., he noted.
The fireworks were held at the fort last year, too, but in a more sensitive area.
"It’s good to work mutually on projects of interest to both of us," he added.
Russ made mention of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in his remarks at the ceremony, noting that the base was conducting an exercise in combating terrorism at the time the hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center.
It’s in such moments that outstanding individuals rise up, he said.
"That’s what happened with our garrison," he said, citing Wood’s "stand up, take charge" leadership. "Our garrison was able to transition to terrorism while maintaining a relationship with neighboring communities.
"Steve, you’re going to be surely missed in this community," Russ added.
Russ said Reyes, who comes to Fort Monmouth from Washington, D.C., where he served on Capitol Hill as a liaison officer for the secretary of the Army and the House of Representatives, also is an outstanding leader.
"I believe he’s the right person for the right job at the right time," he said.
Wood, in his remarks, extended his thanks to Tarantolo, McNamara and Oceanport Mayor Gordon N. Gemma, and to all the team at the fort "from top to bottom" for their contributions during his command.
He told a jungle story of how the wolf is the strength of the pack and the pack is the strength of the wolf, and said none of the accomplishments during his tenure would have been possible "without my pack."
His comments drew approving "hooahs," an Army cheer to raise spirits.
Reyes spoke briefly to say it was good to be back in his home state of New Jersey and to wish Wood and his family "Godspeed" in their next locale.
"It is with great honor and pride that I assume command here today," he said.