Travis County Commissioners Court
December 27, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 2
Number 2 is to consider and take appropriate action regarding, a, presentation of patriotic employer certificate to the Travis County Commissioners' court from employer support of the guard and reserve; and 2-b, presentation of military honors to Travis County employee colonel leroy ontiberos from major general gary bunch and major general jay wells.
now...
>> good morning.
thank you, judge for giving us this opportunity to first recognize the soldier with 36 years of service and his retirement as well as receiving a number of different distinctions.
as well as allowing us to have the employee support of the guard and reserve make a presentation to the court.
if the employee -- I just saw him in here a second ago, but he may think he's coming on a little later.
it's mr. Allen bergeron.
come on up since you're on the docket first, sir.
>> media, is the volume okay?
>> yes, it is, judge, thank you.
>> would you like to take the hand-held mic?
>> good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
my name is allen bergeron.
I am the ombudsman here for the department of defense employee department of the reserve and also the consultant for the city of Austin that mayor leffingwell created for the city of Austin in '07.
part of my responsibility for the department of defense is to work with employers throughout the Texas area, and this morning we're recognizing an employee that works for Travis County for going above and beyond and supporting colonel ontiberos while he was deployed.
at this time I would like to ask roger el khoury to come up.
he doesn't know about this, but we want to say thank you.
>> [ applause ] colonel ontiberos, please come forward.
okay.
well, you didn't know this, this is a surprise for you.
colonel, come on up, please.
stand next to roger here.
colonel ontibers had about four compliment deployments over the years serving our country.
and as an employer, Travis County and roger el khoury as his supervisor, went above and beyond to make sure that the colonel was well supported while he was deployed.
he made sure he was well taken care of before, during and after his deployment over and over and over again.
with multiple deployments overseas in combat operations.
and I strongly believe that of your workforce of over 5,000 employees, I believe, and probably about 800 veterans in your workforce, judge, I think roger el khoury represents the rest of your managers and supervisors throughout the county and your way of saying thank you in supporting the colonel during his deployment.
so the department of defense would like to present you with a patriotic employer award for contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in america's national guard and reserve components.
signed by retired general ronald young, executive director, department of defense, employer support of the reserve.
>> [ applause ]
>> good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
today we're here to witness one of the military's most time-honored traditions and ceremonies, the retirement of a faithful and dedicated warrior.
today's ceremony gives us the opportunity to thank colonel ontiberos and his family for the many sacrifices made for our nation and to provide a fitting farewell from those who have worked closely alongside him during his past 36 years of service.
the presiding officers to today's ceremony are major general gary bunch and major general jimmy j wells.
ladies and gentlemen, please join us in reciting the pledge of allegiance.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
at this time we'd like to make a brief prayer, so please pray with me.
dear heavenly father, we thank you for the many blessings in our lives and continue to watch every us and our loved ones.
today we take time, lord, to thank you for the ontiberos family and ask that you continue to ask the colonel to continue to serve your purpose.
we thank you for giving him health to serve his country for over three decades.
we also ask that you continue to watch over those unsung heros in this audience, lord, as public servants that help shape our society and our loss.
we ask that you continue to provide them guidance, provide them wisdom as they execute the duties of their hallowed positions in our society and mostly father we ask that you continue to give us strength n your heavenly name we pray, amen.
first general bunch is the primary provider of materials to the united states army, he commands mission include the research and development, sales and acquisition of weapon systems as well as maintenance and parts distribution of weapons systems. It's a worldwide leader in material research and mission plan to manage his munitions for the department of defense with locations worldwide and over 70,000 employees.
please join me in welcoming major general bunch.
I'd loose like to time to time to introduce to you major jimmy j.
wells.
he is the commander of the 75th training division.
the training division is the army strategic staff training division with operations in over 18 states and three continents.
it has training to over 30,000 soldiers, airmen and marines who deploy into harm's way.
please help me welcome major general jimmy j.
wells.
>> [ applause ]
>> at this time we'd like to present colonel ontiberos with a number of awards.
both general wells and general bunch would like to make some brief comments about their service with the colonel.
>> judge Biscoe, I want to tell you how much we appreciate the opportunity to recognize both your employee and one of our distinguished colonels from the united states army.
colonel ontiberos wanted to have a very simple ceremony.
he would have preferred we just mail these things to him.
>> [ laughter ] that's his personality.
that's the character of this distinguished warrior.
however, given his esteemed career of over 36 years serving our nation in uniform, we thought it more appropriate to ask you for your indulgence to allow us to have this ceremony here.
you have been so gracious to allow that, that we tell you from the bottom of our hearts and from this nation's military, we certainly appreciate that offering.
we'll be very brief.
please let's recognize the court as well.
>> [ applause ] I've got to tell you that all three of us have worked together.
that's why you have the unique aspect of us being here together.
general bunch was colonel bunch at the time was our boss.
and back when I was a major and I was his executive officer and he kept telling me about this guy I have to meet.
I have to meet major ontibros: he said jay, you would really like this guy.
he's a lot like you.
he said he's as wide as he is tall and he's always working out and he's always at the gym.
in fact he owns a gym.
I'm like, I would really like to meet this guy.
and about 15 years ago I met him and we continued to work together.
I was his boss one time, I was his boss one time and we had some tremendous opportunities to work together.
I've got to tell you one story I was telling my brother, and by the way, I would like to recognize other veterans of other wars in this room.
so if we have veterans from vietnam war, would you please stand up and allow us to recognize you as well.
>> [ applause ] so my brother and I were talking, he's a distinguished veteran from the vietnam war and we were talking about some of of the situations about when the rockets come in and I was telling him that the colonel was a roommate of mine and we were both lieutenant colonels.
we were at the 59 dining facility one day and general bunch, colonel bunch, was our boss at the time and leroy and I said let's go get some dinner.
about that time we're going to have some dinner, we're sitting down and all of a sudden, judge, the rockets start coming in.
and three or four rockets hit just outside the dining facility.
and you should have seen the guys scrambling to get under the tables and a lot of the guys were pulling the table cloth down to allow them some protection.
however, the colonel and I went diligently about our duty eating our dinner.
did not stop in stroke.
curt knell just kept on going, didn't miss a beat.
that's the kind of courageous warrior he is and I will always remember that.
>> [ applause ]
>> judge and the court, it's a privilege and honor for me to be here today.
I've known the colonel for well over 22, 23 years.
I think we met together when I was a captain and he was a lieutenant, and we've worked on and off together across the last 20 plus years.
and it's a privilege to be here to be able to preside at this retirement ceremony and I can you for your indulgence.
>> [ applause ]
>> now, if -- I would like to ask his daughter, victoria, to come up here and join us.
and his father, the colonel's father.
>> we have a number of traditions in the military and general wells and general bunch are going to present three different very special awards and recognitions to the ontiberos family as well as a number of retirement certificates.
so please, attention to orders.
the first one is the legion of merit.
attention to orders, for exceptional meritorious service and responsibility, the colonel distinguished himself through exceptional service as the chief of operations, army material command, liaison office 377th theater containment command throughout his career.
the colonel demonstrated outstanding leadership, unbear legalled professionalism and service.
his vast technical knowledge, extraordinary mentor ship and genuine commitment to soldiers were immeasurable in support of overseas contingency operations.
upon retirement he is recognized for his distinguished performance of duty and represents exemplary achievement in the finest achievement of the army by order of the secretary of the army.
>> [ applause ] next is the purple heart.
general bunch will present the purple heart.
the united states of america, to all who shall see these presents greeting, this is to certify that the president of the united states of america has awarded the purple heart established by general george washington in new york, August 7, 1782, to colonel leroy ontiberos for wounds received in action in 2004 in iraq.
given under my hand the city of washington, the 14th day of October, 2011, the secretary of the army, john m.
mcguy.
>> [ applause ] and the final award is the meritorious service medal.
the meritorious service medal is presented to the colonel, responsible reset taskforce for exceptional meritorious service as operations officer he demonstrated superb foresight, initiative and ability in support of operation enduring freedom, iraq freedom and operation new dawn.
his outstanding leadership contributed to the largest movement of materials since world war ii and contributed to the overwhelming success of the entire theater mission.
the colonel's achievements, dedication and performance of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the u.s.
army, material command and the united states army from June 10th to may 2011, this the 27th day of April, 2011, signed james h.
pils bury, lieutenant colonel, u.s.
army material command.
>> [ applause ]
>> there's a number of other commissions that we would like to share with everyone.
and first is his retirement.
which is a bittersweet moment for anybody who has served as long as the colonel has in the united states military.
the certificate simply reads: the united states army, retired reserve, this is to certify that by authority of the secretary of the army, colonel leroy ontiberos has been transferred to the retired reserve in recognition of honorable service and continued interest in the defense of our nation.
on the 11th day of September, 2011.
>> [ applause ] general wells will now present the united states flag to the colonel.
>> [ applause ] now, for the family members of those who serve, they truly do sacrifice time and we would like to present victoria with a small token of our appreciation.
victoria.
she is receiving a certificate of appreciation from general wells and the certificate reads, to all who shall see these presence greeting, this is to certify that victoria ontiberos on the occasion of the retirement of her father with the united states army has earned grateful appreciation for her own unselfish, faithful and devoted service.
her support and understanding helped to make possible her father's lasting contribution to the nation.
we're grateful for her sacrifices and proud of her dedication.
>> [ applause ] we also have another special certificate which I think general wells already gave to her called the brat award.
at this time we would also like to present to the colonel's fiance a bouquet of flowers.
and to jesse.
>> [ applause ] and david is receiving a u.s.
army 75th belt buckle.
the flowers wouldn't be too good for young david there.
>> [ applause ] we are going to recognize colonel ontiberos' father during the reception that's following this event with a number of different things.
so we thank you, sir, for your son and for the time and the dedication, the discipline that you instill understand him.
>> [ applause ] there's one last thing we have to do in any official army ceremony and that is to play the army song.
and if our av personnel have it up and ready, we'll play the army song and that will conclude this morning's ceremony.
>> [ applause ]
>> media, let's stand in recess for five minutes.
>> [court did not reccess until after completion of the ceremony.]
>> ....it is simultaneously in approval of your qualities and a lifelong obligation to uphold those qualities as you will forever more be judged as an honorary member of this organization signed jimmy jay wells, major general command.
(indiscernible).
it is
>> [ applause ]
>> each court member will get one fifth.
>> [ laughter ] this is much too much for my ego, by the way u.t.
very much.
thank you very much.
>> thank you all.
>> thank you for your service.
>> media, let's take that five-minute recess now.
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