ROCK OF THE YEAR
ROCK OF THE YEAR
FOR 2002
Colonel Renard Marable
U.S. Army, Retired
COL (Ret) Renard H. Marable was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry upon graduation from Infantry Officer Candidate School in February 1969. His initial assignment was with the 6th Special Forces Group at Ft. Bragg, NC. In September 1969, he began a tour of duty with the 5th Special Forces Group in the Republic of Vietnam. Upon returning to the United States in 1970, he subsequently served with the 3rd Special Forces Group and later the 82nd Airborne Division. In the 82nd, he served as an Assistant Brigade S3, 2nd Brigade and S1, S3 Air, and Rifle Company Commander in the 3rd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.
Following completion of the Infantry Officer Advance Course, COL (Ret) Marable served as an Assistant Professor of Military Science at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO from 1976 to 1979. His next assignment he returned to Ft. Bragg, NC where he served as an Assistant Corp G1, XVIII Airborne Corps and Ft. Bragg.
In 1979, COL (Ret) Marable was selected to attend the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Ft Leavenworth, KS where he graduated as an honor student. After CGSC, he was assigned to Germany where he spent five years serving as an Executive Officer for the Support Battalion (Provisional), 26th Support Group in Heidleberg, Division, G3 Operations Officer for the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Bad Kreuznach, and finally as the Executive Officer, 1st Brigade, 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Mainz.
Upon returning to the US in 1987, he was assigned as the Executive Officer for the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. In June 1988, he assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. However, because of a parachute accident in August 1988, he was removed from command. In the interim, he served as the Deputy Corps G1 and in October 1989, he assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. During his tenure, the battalion conducted a combat parachute assault into Panama on Operation Just Cause as well as deployed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After command, COL (Ret) Marable became the Chief, Division Exercise Cell where he developed an external evaluation training program for the Division’s infantry battalions. His last assignment prior to retirement was on the Army staff as the Executive Officer for the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Department of the Army.
After retiring from the Army, COL (Ret) Marable worked as a consultant for Social Consultants International, Inc. in Arlington, VA. In 1999, he became the President and CEO of the Parren J. Mitchell Foundation for Education and Talent Development, Inc. He is currently the President and CEO of Premier Consultants International, Inc. a Washington DC based management-consulting firm. He is also serving as the Vice President for The Retired Military Officers Association (RMOA), a national minority trade association consisting of over 100 minority businesses; Vice President for Membership, The ROCKS; and is on the board of directors of Project 2000 Inc, an organization that provides academic support services and educational mentoring to inner-city African-American children from 1st through 12th grades.
As Vice President Membership of the Rocks, he has been the single point of contact for chapter development/activation. Ten chapters have been activated since he assumed this position a short 3 years ago.
Awards and Decorations include the Legion of Merit (2OCL) Bronze Star Medal (3OCL) with “V” Device, Meritorious Service Medal (6OCL), Army Achievement Medal (3OCL), CIB, EIB, Master Parachute Badge, Ranger Tab, and Special Forces Tab.
COL (Ret) Marable is a cum laude graduate of Fayetteville State University with a BS in Political Science. He holds graduate degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a MS in Public Administration, and the Industrial College of the Army Forces with a MS in National Resource Strategy. He has also is a graduate of the Minority Business Executive Program from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Virginia.
ROCK OF THE YEAR
FOR 2002
Colonel Bernard A. Barnes
U.S. Army, Retired
Colonel Bernard A. (Andre) Barnes, a co-recipient of the Rock of the Year Award, was born in Washington DC. He is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Morgan State College, whose singularly outstanding career as a Signal Officer is complimented by distinguished service to the Rocks.
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Colonel Barnes’ first tours of duty were as Executive Officer, D Company, 1St Bn, 1st Signal Brigade then Signal Operations Platoon Leader, 67th Signal Battalion, Ft. Gordon, GA. From 1978 to 1979, he commanded HHD, 36th Signal Battalion, Taegu, Korea. At Fort Lee, VA, Barnes served as the Communication and Eleectronics Main Action Officer for the Army Logistics Center. In 1983 he transferred to Germany as the Signal Officer for 1/68 Armor Battalion, 1st Brigade and then for the 1ST Brigade (MECHANIZED), 8TH Infantry Division. In June 1988, Colonel Barnes was assigned to the 7th Signal Command, where he served as a CE Staff Officer in DCSOPS; Secretary of General Staff; Executive Officer, 1111th Signal Battalion, Site R; and Deputy Inspector General, 7th Signal Command. In 1992 Colonel Barnes returned to the Orient as the Commander, 78TH Signal Battalion, Camp Zama, Japan. From 1995 to 1997, Colonel Barnes served as Director, Command Center Improvement Program, J3, USCINCPAC then a year as Chief, C4I Operations Management and Plans Division, J6, USCINCPAC, Camp Smith, Hawaii. From 1998 to 2000 he was the Director, Command, Control and Communications Evaluation Directorate, Army Evaluation Center. Currently Chief of Staff, Army Test and Evaluation Command, he helped meld three disparate organizations into one through intensive management controls and improved information technology.
Colonel Barnes earned the Bachelor of Science in Business and Accounting, a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters in Resource Management. He is a graduate of the Signal Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms and Service Staff School, the Command and General Staff College, Inspector General School , the Industrial College of Armed Forces, the Army Training with Industry Program-Telecommunications and the John F. Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in Government Program.
His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters) and the Army Commendation Medal (with two oak leaf clusters).
He has served the Rocks well as President, Vice President and Ways and Means Chair for the Washington Chapter, and as organizer of two Annual National Conferences.
Colonel Barnes and his wife Glenda have a daughter, Carmita, an ADA 2LT stationed in Babenhausen, Germany and a son, Algerron who is a senior at West Potomac High School, Alexandria, VA.
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