MEMBER
NEWS
Colonel
John Koivisto, Executive Officer (XO) of the 17th from 97-98, recently submitted
his retirement papers but will continues to serve in the NATO command in Norfolk
VA until 2010. As can be expected in that job, John is still TDY a lot and recently
hopped \across the pond. to Brussels Belgium where he briefed the NATO Command,
Control & Communications (C3) Board on NATO Network Enabled Capability (NNEC)
activities (John explains that is NATOfs flavor of we would call NetCentric
Operations).
John and Betsy will be celebrating the wedding of their son
Joseph to Miss Courtnye Crans on 18 September in Carlisle Pennsylvania so will
miss the BOD on the 19th, however we look forward to seeing newly retired John
and Betsy at the Baltimore reunion in 2010. John serves the Association as Member
At Large.
Colonel Brian Moore, Bn Commander of the 17th from July 02 .
July 04, recently returned from a
year long tour in Iraq and then immediately
reported with his family, Desiree and the boys, to Fort
Gordon Georgia where
he will serve as Chief of Staff for the US Army Signal Center & Fort Gordon.
If you caught the recent Colbert Report from Iraq., Brian was sitting right behind
Mr. Colbert at the closing credits with a HUGE grin on his face.it was great fun
seeing him on TV! Brian also wanted to thank Darrell and Judy Riding for his 17th
Signal Battalion Association hat that Brian proudly wore in Iraq (seen in photo
on page 18). Brian wrote just before he left Iraq that My year here has been well
spent. We are making progress and a truly sovereign and stable Iraq IS possible.
The Iraqis are magnificent people with great resolve and faced with a daunting
task but they are up to the challenge. We will continue to work by, with and through.
our Iraqi partners. On a personal note.a year is a long time.I want to thank everyone
for their prayers and support. This year has taught me much but my priorities
are and continue to be GOD, Country and Family. See you in Baltimore in Sept 09
for the BOD!. Brian serves as Member at Large for the Association. Brian, we are
so glad to have you home safely!!
COL Glenn Kennedy (Commander 17th from
July 2004 to deactivation in Sept 06) writes .I took
command of the Fort Gordon
Garrison in July 2009 after PCSing from my Pentagon assignment and the DC area..
Glenn promises future articles about the 17th last tour in Iraq, the casing of
the colors and the closing down of the Battalion. We look forward to those articles
in future newsletters and CONGRATULATIONS Glenn on your latest command!!
Major
Kim Semelroth Speck, XO C Company, Battalion Training Officer and Adjutant 17th
Signal
Battalion (1996. 1999) continues to study hard at United States Uniformed
Health Services Institute
School (UHSIS) for her Doctorate in Psychology. Kim
recently wrote that she was studying pharmacology. a lot of information to memorize.
Over 100 drugs and need to know exactly how each work, what it is used for, side
effects, interactions with other drugs and how the body gets rid of it.
Bob
Ironside has resigned as President due to Health Considerations. He has been replaced
as President by Vice President Jim Bondi. The Vice President Office is vacant.
See Bylaws Article V Section 5.