JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska -- Army Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, commanding general U.S. Army Pacific, (left) passes the U.S. Army Alaska guidon to the new commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett, during the USARAK change of command ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Garrett replaced Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo who will be transferring to the Pentagon. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska -- Army Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett and wife are interviewed by local news media before the U.S. Army Alaska change of command ceremony. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER/PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska -- Army Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, commanding general, U.S. Army Pacific, accepts the U.S. Army Alaska guidon from Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo as Palumbo relinquishes command of USARAK during the change of command ceremony. Palumbo who will be transferring to the Pentagon. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska -- Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo (left) and Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett look on during the U.S. Army Alaska change of command ceremony. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska -- Army Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett salutes his new command during the U.S. Army Alaska change of command ceremony. Garrett replaced Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo, who will be transferring to the Pentagon. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska -- Honor Guard and formations during the U.S. Army Alaska change of command ceremony. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska - -Army Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, commanding general U.S. Army Pacific, speaks during the U.S. Army Alaskan change of command ceremony. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER/PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON,Alaska -- Army Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett, the new commanding general of U.S. Army Alaska applauds during the USARAK change of command ceremony. Garrett replaced Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo who will be transferring to the Pentagon. (USAF Photo by Steven White/JBER PA)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON -- U.S. Army Alaska 's 9th Army Band performs pre-ceremony music during the USARAK change of command May 17. The band performed The Beatles "With A Little Help From My Friends" requested by outgoing commanding general, Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON -- Military members and distinguished guest prepare for the United States Army Alaska change of command honoring incoming commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett May 17. Garrett's previous assignments include command at the platoon, battalion and brigade level and staff assignments at company through corps level. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON -- Army leadership perform the change of command welcoming United States Army Alaska's new commanding general, Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett, May 17. Garrett's previous assignments include command at the platoon, battalion and brigade level and staff assignments at company through corps level. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON -- U.S. Army leadership perform the change of command's passing of the guidon welcoming United States Army Alaska's new commanding general, Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett, May 17. Garrett's previous assignments include command at the platoon, battalion and brigade level and staff assignments at company through corps level. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea)
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON -- U.S. Army Alaska Commanding General Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett gives his closing remarks during the USARAK change of command May 17. Garrett's previous assignments include command at the platoon, battalion and brigade level and staff assignments at company through corps level. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea)
by Army Master Sgt. Eric Reinhardt
USARAK Public Affairs
5/24/2012 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Maj. Gen. Michael Garrett became the 36th commander of U.S. Army Alaska in a change-of-command ceremony May 17 at Pershing Field.
He comes to Alaska from Fort Bragg, N.C., where he was chief of staff, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg.
Garrett replaces Maj. Gen. Raymond Palumbo, who has been the senior Army commander in Alaska and deputy commander of Alaskan Command since July 2010.
Palumbo - recently nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general - will move on to an assignment as deputy under secretary of defense (intelligence) for Joint Coalition and Warfighter Support at the Pentagon.
Lt. Gen. Francis J. Wiercinski, commanding general of U. S. Army Pacific and reviewing officer for the ceremony, described Garrett as "the right man for the job."
"I can think of no one better prepared to continue USARAK's reputation for producing tough, well-conditioned professionals," he said.
Wiercinski praised the legacy Palumbo created during his tenure in Alaska.
"Over the last two years, USARAK positively demonstrated why it is the best-kept secret in America's Army," he said, "and why Alaska is so critical to our nation's refocus on Asia and the Pacific."
Garrett's assignment to Alaska is something of a homecoming for the new USARAK commander, his wife Lorelei and their two children.
He was the first commander of the newly formed 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at JBER from February 2006 to July 2008. He led the brigade through its first combat deployment to Iraq from October 2006 to December 2007.
"The Garrett family is fired up to be back in Alaska," Garrett said. "We have fond memories of our experiences and the many friendships we made during our last tour."
In his remarks, Garrett acknowledged the Army's current challenges and sounded an optimistic note for the future.
"As we sort our way through the challenges associated with the current and projected fiscal environment, I am confident in our leadership, the vision of our chief and commander United States Army Pacific and our way ahead," Garrett said.
He has served in 18 assignments, four overseas and 14 stateside, in his 28-year Army career.
Overseas, the general has served in Afghanistan, twice in Iraq and Korea.
In the United States, he has served at Fort Stewart, Ga.; Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.; twice at Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii; three tours at Fort Bragg, N.C.; West Point, N.Y.; Fort Richardson, Alaska; Washington, D.C.; and Fort Knox, Ky.
Garrett is a 1984 graduate of Xavier University, in Cincinnati, where he received a bachelor of science in criminal justice and was commissioned in the Army as a second lieutenant of infantry. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and has served as a Senior Military Fellow at the Center for New Security in Washington, D.C.
