Chattanooga native U.S. Army Col. Thomas Holliday handed over the reins of the Redstone Arsenal Garrison near Huntsville, Alabama, this week.
Holliday, the grandson of Dr. Pope and Mary Holliday, will retire in January after 26 years of service. U.S. Army Col. Kelsey Smith will replace him as garrison commander at Redstone.
The 48-year-old lived in Chattanooga for about nine years as a child and returned to the area for his freshman year of high school at Notre Dame High School.
Both of his grandfathers were paratroopers in World War II, and he always knew he wanted to follow in their footsteps.
"I just didn't know, when I was young, how that would play out," he said Tuesday. "I don't think I ever expected it to be this long, but it's been a wonderful time and it's been a great career."
Over the years, Holliday has served six tours in Afghanistan, the first being in 2002, not long after the 9/11 attacks.
When he first landed, they watched a minefield be cleared with a bulldozer. They later set up their tents there.
"It quickly became very real just how dangerous the place was," he said. " Makes you really start thinking about what's important in life."
The bulldozer took off the top layer of dirt, removing any mines, and they later used that dirt to build a perimeter around their camp.
That and countless other experiences in combat zones taught him that coming to grips with not always being in control is essential to staying mentally sane.
"In certain situations in your life, you just have to give your life over to a higher power," he said. "There's a lot of training you can do, there's a lot of things you can do to help protect yourself, but at some point in time, someone else has control.
He said there are many ways be prepared and be aware of any eminent danger, but "that first shot, there's nothing you can do to stop it. And if it's aimed at you, it's aimed at you."
"But at some point in time, you may not have all the knowledge to be able to do that, and you just have to hope that someone else is looking out for you," he said.
What he remembers most, though, are the relationships and the people he has served with, he said.
"The events, the places I've been, are a catalyst to allow me to think about the people that were there," he said. "I didn't necessarily serve 26 years because the jobs were always fun. I served it because of the people I was serving with."
"He's a great people person, and he's a family person," said Skip Vaughn, acting public affairs officer at Redstone. "That comes across."
Vaughn, who has worked at the arsenal for 38 years, said he has seen several commanders come and go, but Holliday stands out.
"He's not just a boss. He's not just a commander. But he's also a very good, good man," Vaughn said.
During his service, Holliday was awarded the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, and the NATO Medal.
Upon retirement, Holliday plans to go into the business sector, he said, and spend more time with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children.
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