Quartermaster Corps Inducts 2026 Hall of Fame Members

FORT LEE, Va. – U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps inducted 14 individuals into the 2026 Hall of Fame June 16 in a ceremony at the Gregg-Adams Club.

"The 2026 Hall of Fame inductees represent the absolute best of the Quartermaster Corps and the sustainment profession,” said Col. Saul Arroyo, acting U.S. Army Quartermaster School commandant and 23rd Quartermaster Brigade commander. “Their decades of service, leadership, and commitment to excellence ensured our Soldiers remained equipped, sustained, and ready to fight and win. They embody the spirit of “Supporting Victory,” and their enduring legacy will continue to inspire future generations of Quartermasters.”

The Hall of Fame was established in 1986 as the highest form of recognition the Corps offers. This coveted award honors individuals who have made the most significant contributions to the overall history and traditions of the Quartermaster Corps.

Inductees for 2026 are:

Col. (Retired) Jordan S. Chroman distinguished himself throughout more than three decades of service through exceptional leadership and extensive operational experience. During an exchange tour with the British Armed Forces, he developed the Priming Equipment Pack concept, earning him investiture into the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Col. (Retired) John Dawley began his distinguished military career by enlisting in the Army and later earning his commission. His service is marked by extensive operational experience across multiple theaters and eras to include combat operations in Vietnam. His exchange tour with the Australian Army allowed him to serve as a rigger exchange officer, strengthening international partnerships and advancing technical expertise. A defining moment of Dawley’s career came when he received the Soldier’s Medal of Heroism, awarded by the President, for a daring helicopter rescue of a drowning woman. Dawley was posthumously inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Col. (Retired) Kenneth Dyer began his military career by enlisting in the Army National Guard and later earned his commission as a Quartermaster Corps officer. His career includes extensive operational experience across multiple major campaigns. Dyer supported operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He later deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and participated in military relief efforts in Haiti.

Sgt. Maj. (Retired) Michael Eitniear’s career is distinguished by extensive operational and demonstration experience, including leading elite parachute teams in advanced aerial demonstrations and competitions around the world. A major career highlight was his six-year tenure as the sergeant major of the Golden Knights Parachute Team, one of the longest in the team’s history. During this period, he led a team of more than 100 personnel and facilitated a parachute jump with the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush. Eitniear was posthumously inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Retired) Robert Elbert Jr. has had a career that spanned more than three decades of distinguished service in property accountability, logistics management, and sensitive activities support across a wide range of global assignments. He served as a trusted technical advisor within the special operations community, providing critical logistics oversight for sensitive activities and aviation commands.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Retired) Travis Elliott’s career includes extensive operational experience, with three combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as operational deployments to Saudi Arabia and Korea in support of Operation Panther Shield. A major career milestone was his service as the Supply Support Activity Accountable Officer at Logistics Support Area Anaconda during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he managed the largest SSA in theater and oversaw more than $100 million in equipment sustaining ongoing combat operations.

Col. (Retired) Andre Fletcher marked his career by significant operational and strategic accomplishments. As commander of the 403rd Army Field Support Brigade in Korea and Japan, he achieved a 95% readiness rate for Army War Reserve Sites; the highest recorded readiness rate across all Army War Reserve Sites. His leadership and strategic insight were instrumental in strengthening Army sustainment capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region.

Col. (Retired) Melvin Frazier began his distinguished military career as an enlisted Soldier and later earned his commission. His career is marked by extensive operational and multinational experience. A defining achievement of Frazier’s career came during Operation Iraqi Freedom, when he commanded the 49th Quartermaster Group and led the largest tactical petroleum distribution operation in U.S. Army history; managing the movement of more than 200 million gallons of fuel in support of combat operations. Frazier was unable to attend the ceremony.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Retired) Janet Lewandowski held key leadership and technical positions throughout her career with extensive operational and institutional experience. At Human Resources Command, she managed a population of more than 1,100 warrant officers and significantly reduced wait times for technical schooling as the Quartermaster Warrant Officer Proponent.

Col. (Retired) Ron Novack began his military career by enlisting in the U.S. Army and later earned his commission and entered the Quartermaster Corps, where he built a distinguished career of leadership and operational excellence. His service includes extensive combat and operational experience across multiple major campaigns.

Command Sgt. Maj. (Retired) Julio Padilla held key leadership and logistics positions and his career included extensive operational experience across multiple theaters. A major career highlight was his service as the J4 Senior Logistics NCOIC for Special Operations Command South, where he led and executed logistics supports for operations across the Caribbean, Central and South Americas.

Sgt. Maj. (Retired) Sylvester Smith’s career includes extensive operational and institutional food service leadership. A major career highlight was his tenure as the department sergeant major for the Food Service Department where he led 100 enlisted instructors, influenced Army-wide food service policy, and served as a judge for the Philip A. Connelly Awards and the Army Culinary Arts competitions. Smith was posthumously inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Col. (Retired) Jackie (Jack) Vance began his career as a Quartermaster Corps. A recognized expert in petroleum, energy, and logistics operations, he commanded petroleum units and organizations at every level throughout his distinguished career. His leadership, technical mastery, and commitment to excellence shaped the Army’s fuel and energy enterprise for decades.

Col. (Retired) Shawn Walsh was commissioned as a Quartermaster Officer. His career included extensive operational and strategic logistics experience. He commanded the 240th Quartermaster Battalion (Petroleum) in Iraq. His professional record also featured a distinguished Training with Industry assignment with Exxon, as well as key energy logistics leadership roles within the Defense Energy Support Center.

During the ceremony, Lt. Col. (Retired) Marshall Jones was recognized as the 2026 recipient of the Ancient Order of Saint Martin. The Ancient Order of Saint Martin recognizes a select few who stand above their brethren of t he Distinguished Order and is reserved for those who have performed long-term service that singularly distinguishes themselves as contributors to the Quartermaster Corps.

The Quartermaster Corps traces its origins to June 16, 1775. Two days after Congress authorized the Continental Army it also authorized a Quartermaster General and his deputy, in recognition of the need for logistical support to the new Army. Maj. Gen. Thomas Mifflin, the first Quartermaster General, had virtually no money and authority and was dependent upon the independent colonial governments for supplies. Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, the third Quartermaster General, established the first depot system to support the Army.