On June 10th Marine Corps Recruit Deport Parris Island bid a fond farewell to outgoing commander Brig. Gen Julie L. Nethercot and welcomed Brig. Gen. Walker M. Field in a change of command ceremony.
Brig. Gen Nethercot departs command after confidently steering Parris Island through a wide variety of challenges. She took command in June 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully kept Marine initial entry training on track, with the base seeing approximately 19,000 new Marines every year. Additionally, Brig. Gen Nethercot put herself and Parris Island at the forefront of the Department of Defense’s efforts to modernize installations against the unpredictable effects of climate change. Under her command, Parris Island won the 2021 Secretary of the Navy’s Environmental Award for “excellence in integrating environmental and operational sustainability efforts and mitigating impacts from storm surge and sea level rise through 2065” and has made significant progress in flood mitigation and storm prevention.
Lt. General Kevin Iiams, the commander of U.S. Marine Corps Training and Education, had warm praise for Brig. Gen Nethercot at the ceremony. He referred to her role as “one of the most complex” jobs for a Marine Corps officer and noted that, despite the difficulty, “everything you touch – absolute gold.” Brig. Gen Nethercot’s next assignment takes her to Florida where she will doubtlessly continue to create gold for both the Marine Corps and her country.
Her replacement, Brig. Gen Walker M. Field, comes to Parris Island eager to continue Brig Gen Nethercot’s excellent legacy and he brings the tools and expertise required to do just that. Brig Gen Field’s arrival at Parris Island completes a circle of service which began at Parris Island 31 years ago when then-Recruit Field arrived for Basic Training. Brig. Gen Field is joined at Parris Island by his wife, Tonya. They have three children, Walker “Mac” Field Jr. and twins Anna and Elizabeth and now a daughter in law, Mary Katherine, and one grandson, Walker Field III.
The servicemembers, civilians and community at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island look forward to Brig. Gen Field’s command and wish Brig. Gen Nethercot the best of luck as this new chapter for Parris Island begins.
