After guiding a team in the transformation of the U.S. Army 412th Engineer Command to a theater engineer command, Sgt. Maj. Tony Knecht will retire this week.

Knecht joined the 412th in 2007 and has helped write policies, operation orders, procedures, contingency plans and standard operating procedures for the command’s change in March 2009 — which means they deploy soldiers from the 412th as well  as subordinates.

Maj. Charles Bell, who carpools and works with Knecht, said he believes he has benefitted the most from the soldier’s wealth of knowledge and experience.

“He’s assisted me in putting together down-to-earth easy-to-read regulations,” said Bell. “He provides a lot of input on individual soldier training issues.”

Despite being a “subtle guy,” Knecht said, “overall, I’m proud of the accomplishment. I look at it as a team effort. I’d like to think I was a major factor involved in that.”

Knecht, 43, along with his Vicksburg-based team, trained and oversaw three subordinate brigades of more than 12,000 soldiers and 130 units that support the Army Reserve east of the Mississippi River.

“I think we made great strides in where we were three years ago versus where we are today,” Knecht said.

Bell said the sergeant major is particular about soldier training and overall preparedness.

“He makes sure we’re doing the right thing so our unit can take care of business,” said Bell.

Knecht’s duties will be performed by Sgt. Maj. Paul Yingst, who has joined the 412th from the 416th Theater Engineer Command, based out of Darien, Ill.

The command was activated in 1923 as the 372nd Engineers, First Corps, Organized Reserves. In May 1949, the unit was assigned to Vicksburg as the 412th Engineer Brigade under the 3rd U.S. Army. About 20 years later, the brigade became the 412th Engineer Command assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve Command to execute engineer operations in Korea, Europe and the Pacific, as well as the United States.

In 2003, a detachment deployed to support Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe, and during 2006 and 2008, two task forces supported the Gulf Region Division of the Corps of Engineers in Iraq. Last fall, a group from the command deployed to Afghanistan.

Knecht plans to move from Brandon to San Antonio with his wife, Kris, and son Tyler, 10, to live near his in-laws. He also has a 21-year-old daughter, Tiffanny. “It’s time to do what’s best for her,” Knecht said of Kris. “She’s a lot of the reason I made sergeant major and stayed in the Army.”

After working with Knecht — his battle buddy — for two years at the 412th, Bell said the soldier will do well in whatever path he chooses.

Knecht said he wants to be a construction engineer technician for the Corps.

“You actually report back to a project engineer and a program manager. You’re kind of the field link between the guys out in the field doing the project and the ones that design it on the Corps side,” said Knecht.

Knecht has participated in operations under the responsibility of the continental United States, U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command.

Knecht received an associate’s degree in general studies from Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas. His military education consists of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, First Sergeant Course, Advanced Non-commissioned Officer Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Primary Leadership Development Course, Military Operations in an Urban Terrain, Air Assault and the Sapper Leader Course.

Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com