________________________________________________________________________Richard S. Kem
Q:
Did he retire while you were Chief of Public Affairs or was that slightly thereafter?
A:
No, afterwards.
Commander, 7th Engineer Brigade
Q:
From '76 until '78 you were commander of the 7th Engineer Brigade and the Ludwigsburg
Kornwestheim military community commander. I wonder if we could start with discussing
how you got that position and how you got that job.
A:
Well, basically I came out on the engineer troop command list from the OPMS centralized
board selection process, and through that process I was programmed to the 20th Engineer
Brigade at Fort Bragg, I think because I had had airborne experience in the past. Colonel
Herc Carrol had been programmed to go overseas as commander, 7th Engineer Brigade. His
wife, Sue, became very ill, later died of cancer, and so he removed himself from the
command list that year. So, it was a consideration on how to rework the list--what to do
about it. Because I was in the position as a
public affairs officer, I was programmed
after a two-year tour for the 20th Brigade a
summer later, '77. When this came up I
spoke with General Gribble, the Chief, and
asked to be released early from my position
so I could go to the 7th Engineer Brigade
and take command. He approved that request
and MILPERCEN, Colonels Division,
processed the change, and so I was assigned
to command the 7th Engineer Brigade in
summer 1976.
Q:
Before we start talking about that position
and its responsibilities, could you give me a
sort of overview of the engineer troop
organization in USAREUR at that time, how
the 7th Engineer Brigade fit into the engineer
structure in USAREUR.
A:
Surely. It had been for years in about the
same mode. Basically there were and are
Colonel Kem received the colors of
two Corps, the V and the VII Corps. Each
the 7th Engineer Brigade from
Corps had two divisions and some other
Lieutenant General Frederick J.
combat elements. In each of those divisions
Kroesen, Commanding General,
there was the divisional engineer battalion.
VII Corps, in July 1976. The
departing commander was
In the other combat elements that I referred
Colonel Harry Lombard (right).
to, which might be a cavalry regiment or
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