MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga. -- Col. Daniel J. Gillan relinquished command of Maintenance Center Albany Friday to Col. Terry W. Reid in a change of command ceremony conducted in front of hundreds of personnel outside MCA’s main building.
Gillan has served as the commander of MCA since July 2007 and retired after 32 years of service to the Marine Corps in a ceremony after turning command over to Reid.
"I’ve had the distinct privilege for the last two years to work closely with Maintenance Center Albany and the truly dedicated almost 2,100 civilian-Marines who keep Marines safe everyday,” Gillan said.
Gillan’s younger brother and fellow colonel, Andrew J. Gillan, served as the retiring officer for the change of command ceremony, and had kind words to say about his eldest brother and the civilian-Marines and Marines his brother commanded.
“On a very personal note…deployed to Iraq, I’ve been on the receiving end of what it is you all do here by keeping our Marines safe and able to engage the enemy in combat under the best possible circumstances,” said Col. Andrew J. Gillan who is presently a student at the Israeli National Defense College in Tel Aviv, Israel. “So for me to be able to deploy with a battalion of 700 Marines, and bring each and every one of them back because they’re driving around in vehicles that you put your hands on, it’s an unbelievable honor for me to speak before you today.”
Gillan’s younger brother also praised the mostly civilian staff with making Albany home to his brother and family over the years. “Unlike anywhere they’ve lived in the last 32 years, they feel at home here. I thank you all for that,” he said.
Brig. Gen. James A. Kessler, commanding general, Marine Corps Logistics Command, said that Gillan had taken MCA to a new level, and the incoming commander has big shoes to fill by replacing him.
“Dan, we’re going to miss you here. I know the Marines and the civilian-Marines are going to miss you,” Kessler said. “You’ve only heard a very, very small piece of what Colonel Dan Gillan has done here in the last couple of years to make sure that young men and women fighting in the forward positions in Afghanistan and Iraq come home alive. I mean that literally. What this great workforce here has done has literally meant saving the lives of Americans.”
Reid said that he was eager to take command of MCA since it has such a fine reputation throughout the Marine Corps, and he plans to make sure that reputation remains intact.
“It’s an awesome responsibility. My first goal is to maintain excellence,” said Reid who assumed command of MCA on his 47th birthday.
Gillan’s personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, Combat Action Ribbon and other service decorations.
He is also the recipient of the Taiwan 923 Badge of Honor and the Taiwan Commemorative Mutual Defense Service Medal. He was additionally awarded the Legion of Merit during his retirement ceremony.
Reid, a native of Rock Hill, S.C., has the following personal decorations: the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marines Corps Achievement Medal, the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and the Presidential Service Badge.