'Forefront of military excellence': Meet Fort Eisenhower's new garrison commander

In selecting Col. Anthony Kazor as the new commander of the U.S. Army Garrison Eisenhower, the Army chose a leader it felt has the right chemistry.

Kazor, who ascended the ranks in the Army's Chemical Corps, officially took command Wednesday from departing Col. Reginald Evans, the most recent in a line of garrison commanders at Fort Eisenhower, formerly Fort Gordon, with roots in the Signal Corps.

Kazor, pronounced like "razor," most recently commanded the 172nd Chemical Company (Smoke) at Fort Riley, Kansas. His two years commanding the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia helped prepare him for his new assignment.

"He's well-acquainted with some of the operational parts of the garrison, but he is not going to act like an expert," William Kidd, director of the Army Installation Management Command’s Training Directorate, said about Kazor. "He's already told me he's going to listen a lot, and I appreciate that attitude."

Kazor said the fort's success lies not only with its formidable military complement but also with a strong garrison community.

"I'm dedicated to ensuring that we remain at the forefront of military exellence, continuing to improve our training areas and our facilities and our support system for our Army families," he said.

The terms "fort" and "garrison" aren't interchangeable. While a fort refers to the physical area within its borders, a modern Army garrison refers to the community that bridges military life and civilian life. Its leader is responsible for the post's growth and development, and for providing quality-of-life services to soldiers, civilians and families, much like the leader of a small city.

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Under his garrison leadership, Evans presided over more than $1.6 billion in new construction at the fort to support the mission of the U.S. Army Cyber Command that calls the fort home. The installation's new main entrance, the $50 million Gate Six, opened in 2022. Ground broke in November for Pine Tree Terrace, a 76-unit military housing development for junior enlisted personnel.

"We formed one team, along with this community, and that is the true 'Team Eisenhower' that we talk about," Evans said Wednesday before a room of about 400 military personnel, civilian representatives and local leaders.