“It is truly an honor to be part of this event recognizing our newest retired Soldiers and civilians,” said Maj. Gen. Scott Linton, commanding general of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 99th Readiness Division, during the inaugural 99th RD multi-compo retirement ceremony held here March 27 at Timmermann Center.

The event was designed to provide active-duty, National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers and civilian employees the opportunity to participate in an appropriate retirement ceremony that provides the proper decorum to them and their families.

“The loyalty, duty and sacrifice you have exhibited during decades of service to your nation is proof you can really, ‘Be All You Can Be,’ in the United States Army,” Linton said to the dozen military and civilian retires and their families. “The vast majority of people you entered service with never made it to retirement, so today is a tremendous accomplishment.”

For most, this landmark is the hard-earned reward for decades of relocations, deployments, and family sacrifices, which in turn signifies the Soldiers’ dedication, commitment, and service to others.

“Today’s retirees have collectively amassed more than 271 years of total service to our nation,” explained Nick Taylor, 99th RD chief of staff and narrator for the event. “We extend our thanks and sincere appreciation of a grateful nation for your patriotic service to our country.”

According to recent data, only around 20 percent of Soldiers make it past the minimum 20 years of service to qualify for retirement.

“Statistics show that less than one percent of the American population currently serves in the military, so you truly are, ‘one-percenters,’” Linton said.

Additional retirement ceremonies this year are planned for June and September. For more information on how you can take part in an upcoming ceremony, e-mail [army99rso@army.mil](mailto:army99rso@army.mil).

‘The Army believes that every Soldier is a ‘Soldier For Life,’ and I would say that as well for our civilian teammates,” Linton said. “The Army is committed to removing barriers to your success both in and out of uniform. You have earned access to retirement resources that will be invaluable for you and your families, and I encourage you to take full advantage of them.”