FORT RUCKER — Brig. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield could have selected any warrant officer to serve as chief of the Aviation Branch.
In his first event as general on Tuesday, Crutchfield laid out reasons why he selected Chief Warrant Officer Five Michael Reese for the role.
“If you believe like I do that the noncommissioned officer is the backbone of the Army, then the warrant officer is the muscle of this branch. This guy makes it happen. He has seen the Army, and he sees the things that need to be done in our Army,” Crutchfield said.
“He’s a professional soldier and officer and he possesses the experience and the desire to focus on this branch. He’s disagreed with me before, … but he knows how to take care of our most precious commodity, and that is our soldiers.”
Reese was recognized as chief of the branch during a ceremony at the Army Aviation Museum. He said he was both flattered and honored at Crutchfield’s selection.
“There are several he could have chosen that were equally qualified. (Crutchfield) understands the role a warrant officer plays in the aviation branch, and I am going to serve this branch, … not have it serve me,” he said.
According to his biography, Reese is a Copperas Cove, Texas, native who entered the Army in 1988.
One of his recent duties included an assignment to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division as the Brigade Standardization Pilot.
The unit deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2009 to 2010, according to his biography.
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