Montgomery County sentinel., 1962-12-27
Military
Roundup

Retirement ceremonies honor
ing Col. Reber M. Van Matre,
NC, commander of the 354th
General Hospital at the Rock
vile Army Reserves Center,
were held last Thursday.
During a formation of the
354th, Brigadier General Frank
E. Wilson, commander of the
S05th Hospital Center, presented
Colonel Van Matre with the
Department of the Army Certif-
icate of Transfer to the Re-
tired Reserve and a letter of
appreciation signed by Colonel
Robert H. Douglas, XXI US
Army Corps Acting Com
mander.
General Wilson expressed ap-
probation to Colonel Van Matre
for his conscientious and faith
full service. The Colonel served
with the 354th for the past sew
eral years; and had commanded
the unit during the recent Ber.
lin Crisis call up.
Colonel Van Matre's retire
ment marks completion of over
20 years of military service,
which had included service on
mainland China during WV II.
Another prominent retirement
this week was that of 1t. Col.
Leonard L. Collier of 11406
Clara ST., Silver Spring, who
ends 20 years in the Medical
Corps.
A first oak leaf cluster to
the Army Commendation Medal
was awarded to him at cere-
monies at Walter Reed Army
Medical Center where he re-
ceived recognition for outstand.
ing work for the past three
years as chief of information
of the historical unit.
Col. Collier has accepted a
civilian position in Des Moines
as executive director to the
president of Iowa Blue Shield,
Inc.
During World War II, Colonel
Collier served in North Africa,
the China-Burma.India theater,
and in Okinawa. He received
many decorations, including the
Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with COM
bat star.
Prior to his arrival at Walter
Reed in June 1859, Collier had
spent the previous four years
stationed in Heidelberg, Ger.
many. At that time and during
most of his service, he was a
specialist in the field of admin
istration.
Collier has a BIS. degree in
military science from the Uni
versity of Maryland and an
M. s. in hospital administra-
tion from Northwestern Uni
versity at Evanston, Ill. Recent
1y he has been working toward
q Ph.D. degree in business ad.
nlinistration at American Uni
versity.
In other news around the
country, the Naval Communica-
tions Center at Pensacola an.
ilounced that James A. Brown,
son of Mr.. and Mrs. William
Haynes Brown Of Germantown,
has been promoted to third
class petty officer. He entered
the service in June 1861 after
graduation from d a m a sous
High School.
Army list 1t. Harry r. Culp
1r., son of H. r. Clup Of 1881
Grubb Road, Silver Spring,
participated in the recent air
defense buildup in southern
Florida during the Cuban crisis.
/. Lieutenant Culp is serving as
Z platoon leader with one of the
HAWK mobile guided missile
units redeployed under the tenn
borary control Of the Army Air
Defense Command, the Army
Component of the North Ameri-
can Air Defense Command.
sAnother local serviceman is
participating in the Cuban ef-
fort. He is Marine Pfc. William
=. Lowe, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
William A. Lowe of 112 Evans
st., Rockville, who is stationed
At the naval base at Guantan.
amo Bay.
Out in the northwest, David
g. jenkins, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Robert L. Jenkins of 12414 Wat.
Mns Ave-, Rockville, was re-
Gently promoted to specialist
five at Ft. Lawton, Wash,
where he is a member of the
Sixth Army Signal Missile Sup.
port Detachment.
He and his wife, Barbara,
live in Seattle. The 22.vear.nld