Saying good-bye is always hard, and last Friday was a hard day as FEMA said good-by to William L. Carwile, III, Administrator for Disaster Operations. After over 40 years of cumulative federal service, Carwile retired from the agency.
Carwile, an appointee of the Obama Administration, served as FEMA's Associate Administrator for Response and Recovery for nearly four years. He was instrumental in the transformation of the Disaster Operations Directorate, and improved its overall operational readiness.
Prior to his appointment as the associate administrator, he served as the Federal Coordinating Officer during Hurricanes Katrina, Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne, to name a few. And before this appointment he served as the director of the Pacific Area Office in FEMA Region IX.
During the retirement ceremony, colleagues and close associates gave personal accounts of Carwile's achievements and accomplishments while at FEMA. In addition, he received a number of mementos, appreciation letters, and awards honoring his forty plus years of public service.
Administrator Fugate and Deputy Administrator Serino gave remarks on Carwile’s contributions to the emergency management field and to the Department of Homeland Security. The FEMA community along with representatives from the National Security Staff, the Departments of Defense and Transportation and other federal agencies and offices celebrated the retirement and legacy of one Bill Carwile.
In addition, Carwile retired as an Army Colonel with nearly 30-years of military service where he completed two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. He served in command and operational staff positions in Special Forces, infantry, and headquarters organizations.