The Fort Carson garrison commander departed Wednesday after what he described as a difficult 18 months for installation and garrison staff.  

“I know the last 18 months has been marked by profound uncertainty and fear, but you weathered the storm with unmatched resilience. Where others might have faltered, you have demonstrated remarkable strength,” said Col. Erik Oksenvaag, a West Point graduate who is retiring from the military after 26 years.

He relinquished command to Col. Phillip Warren, a former enlisted infantryman who most recently worked as the assistant commandant at the U.S. Army Military Police School at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

As garrison commander, Oksenvaag filled a role similar to a mayor in a town, ensuring infrastructure is maintained and overseeing construction.

Fort Carson was among the military installations that saw staff depart through the Office of Personnel Management’s Deferred Resignation Program last year. The Department of Defense also instituted a hiring freeze on civilian positions, although it has made exceptions for certain positions.  

This spring, the Army also notified thousands of civilians that their positions were considered “surplus,” as part of a larger restructuring effort and gave them days to take different jobs or leave, DefenseScoop reported in March. 

Despite the uncertain environment, Oksenvaag said, those working for the installation delivered.

“You have been and will always continue to be the heartbeat at Fort Carson,” he said during a ceremony Wednesday at the Army base.  

Brenda Lee McCullough, the director of installation management command-Pacific, also acknowledged that times have been hard for employees.  

“The past year and a half was the most dynamic and tumultuous time I have experienced in my entire career, yet these installation professionals persevered, demonstrating an incredible amount of resiliency and dedication to their mission,” she said. 

Oksenvaag did an outstanding job during his tenure, she said, overseeing new agreements and construction.  

The outgoing commander worked on intergovernmental agreements with the city of Fountain, outsourcing services to the small community, such as pest control and the operation of the new microtransit bus system

Last December, Fountain-Fort Carson D-8 opened its new Abrams Elementary, marking the end of yearslong discussions and collaboration between the district and the Army, The Gazette reported previously. 

The garrison also opened the highly praised Stack House Bistro, a new campus-style dining hall that attracted the attention of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who said the dining hall was a model for other Army installations. 

“Today is the culmination of a command marked by excellence,” McCullough said.