RELEASE NUMBER: 141216-01
DATE POSTED: DECEMBER 16, 2014
USASOC (A) farewells former Command Chief Warrant Officer
by Sgt. 1st Class Thaddius S. Dawkins II
United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) Public Affairs
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (USASOC News Service, Dec. 16, 2014) – The U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC) (Airborne) said farewell to former Command Chief Warrant Officer (CCWO) Chief Warrant Officer 5 Bob D. Witzler during a retirement ceremony at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s (Airborne) Owens Hangar Dec. 5, 2014.
Witzler, retiring after 29 years of active service, was most recently the USASOAC’s (A) CCWO.
Brig. Gen. Clayton M. Hutmacher, former commanding general of the USASOAC (A) during Witzler’s tenure as CCWO, served many years with Witzler and presided over the ceremony.
“Bob epitomizes all the qualities I admire in Night Stalkers,” Hutmacher said. “He was unwavering in his commitment to the Soldiers in his units to his left and right and most importantly to his SOF operator on the ground, the man in the arena.”
Hutmacher continued by speaking about the consummate professional Witzler was, regardless of his role in Army Special Operations aviation.
“In the final couple years of service as my command chief warrant officer in the regiment and then again at the ARSOAC, he displayed a level of professionalism and competence which I have rarely seen in my career,” he said. “It’s not so rare here [in Army Special Operations aviation] because of the type of Soldiers that serve here, but I will tell you outside of this august group, it is extremely rare. It is not common and Bob is the type of Soldier that’s extremely hard to find.”
During his speech, Witzler took the time to thank those who had the biggest impact on his career; especially his mentors how he said taught him one very important lesson early.
“From them, I learned you can’t be so vain as to believe no one can follow in your footsteps, quite the contrary,” he said. “You have to invest heavily and personally in the success of the soldiers above, below and beside you.”
As he prepares for life after the Army, Witzler said he’s not retiring, just transitioning – a transition that’s happening at the right time in his life.
“I’m looking forward to the changes that happen in every man’s life at this time of transition,” he explained. “I have two grandchildren and they mean a lot to my wife and I. I don’t think it’s an accident that people transition when they do and their life changes when they transition. Your priorities in life absolutely do shift throughout the phases of your life and we prioritize family a lot these days.”