Heidi Bunch photos Lt. Col. Scott M. Bishop (second from left) assumed command of the Hawthorne Army Depot last Thursday at a Change of Command ceremony on the base. Bishop takes over for Lt. Col. Gregory Gibbons (left) who had been in command the last two years.

Heidi Bunch photos
Lt. Col. Scott M. Bishop (second from left) assumed command of the Hawthorne Army Depot last Thursday at a Change of Command ceremony on the base. Bishop takes over for Lt. Col. Gregory Gibbons (left) who had been in command the last two years.

Hawthorne Army Depot welcomed Lt. Col. Scott M. Bishop during the official Change of Command ceremony held on June 30.

Lt. Col. Bishop will replaced Lt. Col. Gregory K. Gibbons, who had been command of Hawthorne Army Depot for the last two years.

“It has been two years and two days since I stepped out on this parade field and took command of Hawthorne Army Depot. The past two years have gone by extremely fast for my family and I,” Gibbons reflected.

He pointed out that some of his highlights while serving here in Hawthorne was: visiting the “H” and skiing at June and Mammoth Mountains; visiting Ichthyosaurus State Park and drinking Icky beer; hiking Half Dome to the Mt. Grant Challenge; Best in the Desert car races; Tahoe; walking Main Street to watching Cecil ride down the street during Armed Forces Day Parade.

“The town of Hawthorne is truly “America’s Patriotic Home”. You should be proud of who you are and what Hawthorne does for this country and for our veterans,” Gibbons explained to those in attendance.

Time honored tradition

In a time honored tradition, the passing of the Army flag ceremony was performed.

After the colors were dismissed

After the colors were dismissed, the commander’s (both present and former) of Hawthorne Army Depot and Col Jimmy Brown of Tooele Army Depot applaud.

Lt. Col. Bishop addresses the crowd in attendance.

Lt. Col. Bishop addresses the crowd in attendance.

One of his accomplishments at Hawthorne Army Depot was the new sign located outside of the Main Gate at the base. Gibbons explained the significant of the wording located on the sign. On the northern side, it reads: “World’s Largest Ammunition Storage Facility.” Explaining the size of the base, Gibbons said that both the cities of San Francisco and Washington, D.C. could be placed within the boundaries.

He explained that the mission at the depot is written on the southern side of the sign. “Hawthorne Army Depot is “Department of Defense’s Premier Demil Facility”.

“We placed that on the south side of the sign so that as you drive to work in the morning, when you leave town and arrive to the gate, you – those that work and live here – know who you are and what you are a part of. YOU ARE “Department of Defense’s Premier Demil Facility.”

Concluding his outgoing speech, Gibbons would say, “To the employees and community of Hawthorne, thank you for welcoming my family and I into Hawthorne. Thank you for opening your doors and arms and welcoming my family and I into the Hawthorne family. Thank you for being “America’s Patriotic Home” and thank you for a phenomenal two years. HWAD 6 signing off.”

Bishop would address the crowd by thanking Col. Jimmy Brown, commander of Tooele Army Depot.

“Col. Brown, thank you for having the trust and confidence to allow me this opportunity. I am truly honored to join the team at the world’s largest ammunition storage depot and Department of Defenses’s premier demil facility. And I do mean team. The relationships and teamwork I have seen amongst the government staff, contractors and the community over the last few days are really something special. Hawthorne truly is “America’s Patriotic Home.” I will continue to build on the progress Lt. Col. Gibbons has made during his time at Hawthorne.”

Guests were invited to a luncheon to meet Bishop and his family. He will serve as commander of the depot for the next two years.