Savannah Facility Director Makes Moves
Joyce Takes over as Safety Director

In an informal, but somewhat emotional ceremony March 28 at Hunter Army Airfield, Lt. Col. Steve Joyce said "so long" to the soldiers of Savannah’s Detachment Company F, 131st Aviation.

Joyce, who was the full-time director of Army Air Support Facility No. 3 since September 1997, is now the safety and occupational health director at Headquarters STARC. He replaces Col. Charlie Martin who has assumed the duties of director of information management.

Joyce’s duties at AASF No. 3 have been turned over to Company F’s Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jack Johnson. Johnson will remain in command until Joyce’s replacement has been named.

"He (Joyce) has been an inspiration to us all during his time with the unit," Johnson said. "Although he’s only a telephone call away, we’re going to miss having him here."

Looking over the Guardsmen gathered before him, Joyce said he was proud of the unit.

"You have been like family to us from the first day we arrived back in 1997," he said while trying hard not to let emotion overcome him. "I have served with no better group of professionals than you."

While Joyce may be leaving AASF No. 3 and Company F, he will continue to have regular contact with the unit. Lt. Col. Dennis Livingston, commander 1st Aviation Group, said he plans to keep the new state safety director involved in the ongoing work to get the unit’s new facility and armory built. That, Livingston said, is supposed to happen in 2005.