Army general retires after 36 years of distinguished service

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - When Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen faced the most difficult moments of his life, he turned to the Army. And Vereen, in turn, helped the service weather some of its most challenging periods.

Vereen lost a spouse, his father and many friends during his 36 years in service. But he said the Army family always welcomed him back after the tragedies.

"Through life's heartbreaking events, I hold to what has kept me and given me solace: and that was staying on the Army team," Vereen said during his retirement ceremony on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

To improve the quality of living standards for Soldiers and their Families, Vereen led the Army's Quality of Life Task Force formed in 2022. The effort saw an increase in investment in installation infrastructure, housing and barracks, more access to child care and better support for military spouses.

The general served as commander of Army Recruiting Command, guiding the Army through some of its most difficult recruiting years for the service, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing.

To help the Army combat against harmful behaviors, Vereen incorporated the Army Resilience Directorate into the Army G-9 which manages Army prevention and resilience programs. Vereen also led the execution plan for the service's installation redesignation commission.

"You've been an incredible leader for our Army, and you've had some super tough [general officer] assignments these past couple of years," Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy A. George said. "I've always been impressed with your positive outlook, your genuine concern for our troopers and their families. And then when it's really tough, one of the things that [stand out] is just how much of a team player you are, caring about everybody else."

Vereen's assignments included stints as commandant of the Army's Military Police School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and provost marshal general of the Army Criminal Investigation Command in Washington before assuming his final posts as leader of Army recruiting command and as deputy chief of staff G-9.

The son of Army Green Beret 1st Sgt. John Vereen, Gen. Vereen grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina before commissioning into the Army as a field artillery officer in 1988. Vereen went on to become a military police officer with assignments in Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Fort Carson, Colorado; and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

"When I decided to join the Army, my initial plan was only to do four years with a goal of leveraging the experience and seeking another career," Vereen said. "But it was the camaraderie, the friendships and that competitive spirit that … the Army created, that gave me the inspiration to continue."

Before becoming commandant of the Army's military police school, Vereen had three assignments at Fort Leonard Wood, with positions that included chief of quality assurance for Military Police Training, director of plans and operations for the U.S. Army Military Police School and commander of the 14th Military Police Brigade.

"Kevin, you represent the very best of our military police corps, of our general officer corps, and our Army," George said. "You understand what Army life is through and through, and have committed to making every community and every organization you are part of a better place to work and to live."

"As a military police officer, you have taken on the toughest challenges and done so with an open mind to make yourself and those around you better," George added.

Two of Vereen's brothers also retired from the Army. Vereen's eldest son, Kevin, served in the Army and his youngest, Kirkland, is a field artillery officer with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

The service honored Vereen's spouse, Monica Vereen, with the Superior Public Service Medal for her volunteer work with the Army Office of the G-9 from 2017 to 2024. Vereen praised his wife for making sacrifices in her career so that Vereen could fulfill his Army duties.

"One of the smartest, most focused, visionary persons that I know," Vereen said. "I'm lucky to have you by my side. Thank you for juggling your career and your profession, making sacrifices, and being with me on this journey."

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