LRC Rheinland-Pfalz, 405th AFSB mourn loss of valued team member

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - August was a tough month for team members of Logistics Readiness Center Rheinland-Pfalz and the 405th Army Field Support Brigade headquarters. One of the LRC's most valued team members passed away Aug. 2, unexpectedly.

Jeffrey Morrison, age 65, served as the chief of installation transportation at LRC Rheinland-Pfalz. He was well recognized across the U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz community in his role managing the Drivers Testing and Training Station on Kleber Kaserne, the Kaiserslautern Military Community's bus transportation program, the transportation motor pool next to Daenner Kaserne and the LRC's entire transportation division.

Morrison began his career with the Army as a Soldier in 1977 in Fulda, Germany. In his last position as the LRC Rheinland-Pfalz chief of transportation, he supervised several Army civilians and nearly 40 local national employees. Jana Hillenbrand was one of them.

"When I arrived, I felt so welcomed. I had a lot of support, especially from my boss, Mr. Morrison," said Hillenbrand, a driver's testing assistant at the Drivers Testing and Training Station. "Any issues that come up, he's always standing right there next to me, and he always has my back."

"He was the type of guy that would just bend over backwards for his colleagues," said TC James, the LRC Rheinland-Pfalz plans and operations division chief. "He had a special relationship with his employees. I mean, he stood behind them. If there was something he could do for anybody, he would do it."

When he was short on staff, especially during the peak season, he never let the mission fail, James said. He would stretch himself thin and always find innovative ways to make things happen and get things done.

"One of the things I remember - I ride my bike to work sometimes - and from time to time it'd be raining outside. I probably would not have noticed it yet, but Jeff would call me up and say 'Hey, I'm taking you home today. It's raining like cats and dogs outside. I'm driving you home,'" said James.

Morrison, who served for 21 years as an active-duty Soldier, started his Army civilian career in 1999 as a motor vehicle operator in Baumholder, Germany. He also served as a supply technician and a deployment specialist there before becoming the installation transportation division chief. He was the ITO chief in Baumholder; Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and finally, Kaiserslautern. His total number of combined years of service with the Army, both as an active-duty Soldier and an Army civilian, is over 46 years.

Morrison is survived by his wife, Jutta Morrison. They have two sons, Daniel (deceased) and Kelvin, and he has a daughter named Brook from a previous marriage. He also has several grandchildren.

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