33

Colonel Michael McGowen
April 2000 to 01 October 2002

Col. Michael P. McGowen,  became acting commander of the base in December 1999 and permanent commander in April 2000.

McGowen said his biggest achievements as commander were building the ties between the base and the neighboring communities and overseeing several new construction projects.

“I think we have made some great strides with making Atterbury more a part of the community around us,” McGowen said. “We are not as insulated as we once were. We have done a lot of new construction at Camp Atterbury. We have a new water system that is almost finished and an $11 million range that is getting ready to go online.”

Since 9-11, the intensity of the troops training has increased and the tempo of operations has been boosted.

“The most noticeable thing is the attitude of the folks that train there,” McGowen said. “There is a sense of urgency and a degree of seriousness about the whole training process that wasn’t there to the same extent that it has been since Sept. 11.”

McGowen, a Scipio resident, left Atterbury on Tuesday to become deputy director of facilities, engineering and environmental at the state area command, Military Department of Indiana.

Maj. Gen. George A. Buskirk, adjutant general of Indiana, praised McGowen’s tenure in a press release.

“Under Colonel Mike McGowen’s leadership, Camp Atterbury has reached levels of achievement not seen since World War II,” Buskirk said.

“He has overseen dramatic improvements in construction and utilization that have strengthened Camp Atterbury as a premier training site not only for the Indiana National Guard, but also for a long list of active duty and reserve component services, law enforcement and other government agencies.”

Newlin, 38, started as an enlisted soldier in 1981 and was commissioned in 1986. He has served as Camp Atterbury’s civil engineering technician and facility manager. Most recently he served as supervisory civil engineer for the Military Department of Indiana.

Newlin holds two associate degrees and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology from Purdue University.

He and his wife, Rita, have four sons: Justin, 18, Jacob, 15, Caleb, 7, and Kolton, 6 months.

The 40,000-acre Camp Atterbury is split among Bartholomew, Johnson and Brown counties. It is the only military training installation in Indiana and was created in 1942 to train U.S. Army troops.

Lt. Col. Kenneth D. Newlin of Greensburg will become the 32nd commander of Camp Atterbury Sunday.

Newlin will succeed Col. Michael P. McGowen, who became acting commander of the base in December 1999 and permanent commander in April 2000.

McGowen said his biggest achievements as commander were building the ties between the base and the neighboring communities and overseeing several new construction projects.

“I think we have made some great strides with making Atterbury more a part of the community around us,” McGowen said. “We are not as insulated as we once were. We have done a lot of new construction at Camp Atterbury. We have a new water system that is almost finished and an $11 million range that is getting ready to go online.”

Since 9-11, the intensity of the troops training has increased and the tempo of operations has been boosted.

“The most noticeable thing is the attitude of the folks that train there,” McGowen said. “There is a sense of urgency and a degree of seriousness about the whole training process that wasn’t there to the same extent that it has been since Sept. 11.”

McGowen, a Scipio resident, left Atterbury on Tuesday to become deputy director of facilities, engineering and environmental at the state area command, Military Department of Indiana.

Maj. Gen. George A. Buskirk, adjutant general of Indiana, praised McGowen’s tenure in a press release.

“Under Colonel Mike McGowen’s leadership, Camp Atterbury has reached levels of achievement not seen since World War II,” Buskirk said.

“He has overseen dramatic improvements in construction and utilization that have strengthened Camp Atterbury as a premier training site not only for the Indiana National Guard, but also for a long list of active duty and reserve component services, law enforcement and other government agencies.”

Newlin, 38, started as an enlisted soldier in 1981 and was commissioned in 1986. He has served as Camp Atterbury’s civil engineering technician and facility manager. Most recently he served as supervisory civil engineer for the Military Department of Indiana.

Newlin holds two associate degrees and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology from Purdue University.

He and his wife, Rita, have four sons: Justin, 18, Jacob, 15, Caleb, 7, and Kolton, 6 months.

The 40,000-acre Camp Atterbury is split among Bartholomew, Johnson and Brown counties. It is the only military training installation in Indiana and was created in 1942 to train U.S. Army troops.