Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, Fort Hood’s top commander, took over the reins 10 short weeks ago from Gen. Ray Odierno, who now leads coalition forces in Iraq.
“I am the human being that is responsible for all the soldiers, and there’s 52,000 of them; every family member and there’s over 100,000 of them and every retiree and there’s 220,000 of them,” Lynch said.
It’s a role that Lynch seems to relish with each passing day, and he’s not complaining.
Except for one thing, that is.
There are not enough people in Bell County taking him up on his offer to come out and see their Army.
“I look around and I see what’s happened now, and I couldn’t be more impressed,” he said. “But then I see things that are just not right, and we are going to work and try and make those things better.”
Since the day he took command of III Corps, Lynch has insisted the Army belongs to everyone and he’s taken steps to open things up on post, beginning with media luncheons and roundtable discussions that he began hosting in August.
On Friday, Lynch hosted his second with his wife, Sarah, by his side.
Lynch talked about a lot of issues, but particularly his desire to make things better for the soldiers and families on Fort Hood.
“We want to make the great place greater,” he said as he stressed the theme of his campaign plan.
The plan, which will be unveiled later this month, will be presented to community leaders and could be instrumental in helping bring infrastructure and construction improvements to Fort Hood.
Still, Lynch wants the Bell County community to start enjoying the post right now.
The first step was allowing the media access to the post, by having some outlets obtain a visitor’s pass that allows access for a minimum of six months.
He also changed the name of Fort Hood’s Catering and Conference Center to “Club Hood,” which three weeks ago began serving a Sunday brunch.
Anyone can come on post for the Sunday brunch if they show a photo ID at the access control point, Lynch said.
Next month, the post will host Phantom Thunder, a motorcycle ride from Fort Hood and around Bell County, with a solemn stop at the Central Texas Veterans Cemetery.
“This isn’t just a ride for the soldiers,” he said. “It’s for the community.”
The ride, which will begin at 11 a.m. on Nov. 7, will transition to an afternoon of family fun with a carnival at Hood Stadium.
Rene Cervantes, reporter for Fox 44 News, said the level of openness that Lynch is bringing to the post is the most exciting news of all.
“I think this is great. It’s about time,” she said. “You know, I think I like this guy.”
bkirk@temple-telegram.com
