PHILADELPHIA –
The director of one of the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s supply chains retired in a ceremony Oct. 11.
Air Force Col. Lawrence Hicks, Clothing and Textiles director, served as an airman for 25 years, the last 14 months with DLA Troop Support.
The ceremony was officiated by Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher Bence, commander of the Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Bence said he was sad to lose an outstanding officer and airman to retirement.
“I’d loved to have him stay, but I know it’s the right thing to do,” Bence said. “It’s time to give him back to his family.”
Bence and Hicks served together at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, where Hicks was the commander of the 86th Logistics Readiness Group.
When Hicks learned he was going to leave Ramstein to serve with Clothing and Textiles, he said he was perplexed.
“I was like, ‘Who? What? When? Where?’” he said. “And then when I found out what it was, I was like, ‘OK. How hard can it be to make some clothes?’”
Hicks said he soon learned his lesson.
“There’s a whole lot that goes into outfitting and equipping our warfighters. And I had 380-plus people across the supply chain who do it and do it well, day in and day out.”
During his remarks, Hicks addressed his former employees directly.
“C&T, you’ve been amazing. Applying for retirement was hard because of you,” he said.
Hicks plans to move to Arkansas.