Fort Riley Deputy to the Garrison Commander Ms. Michelle Durgin
Ms. Durgin serves as the Deputy to the Garrison Commander at Fort Riley, Kansas, the "Home of the Big Red One." As the senior civilian executive and principal advisor to the Garrison Commander, Ms. Durgin provides executive oversight for the day-to-day management and integration of all base operations support (BASOPS) for the 1st Infantry Division and its tenant units.
In this role, Ms. Durgin directs a multi-functional workforce across various directorates—including Public Works, Emergency Services, and Human Resources—to ensure the continued readiness and modernization of the installation’s training ranges and infrastructure. Her leadership is pivotal in synchronizing garrison services with the high-tempo training and deployment cycles of 1ID, while fostering critical regional partnerships across the Flint Hills community to enhance the quality of life for 67,000 Soldiers, families, and civilians.
Prior to her current role, she served as the IMCOM Directorate-Western Hemisphere Functional Integrator for Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR), providing strategic oversight for quality-of-life programs across 13 garrisons. A proven leader in community support, she advised executive command teams and managed a comprehensive portfolio encompassing recreation, Child & Youth Services, Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) operations, and Army Community Service. By driving continuous improvement and enterprise-wide professional development, she ensured these vital services directly enhanced force readiness and the overall wellbeing of Soldiers and their families.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY:
• Mar 206 – Present : Deputy to the Garrison Commander, Fort Riley, KS
• Dec 2021 – Mar 2026: MWR Functional Integrator, ID-Western Hemisphere, Fort Bragg, NC
• Feb 2020 – Dec 2022: Deputy MWR Director, Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA
• Sep 2018 – Feb 2020: Division Chief, Child and Youth Services, Fort Campbell, KY
• Jul 2014 – Sep 2018: Division Chief, Army Community Services & CYS, Fort Riley, KS
• Dec 2001 – Jul 2014: MWR Program Manager, Branch Chief, & Division Chief positions, CONUS & OCONUS
COLLEGE:
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Florida
AWARDS AND HONORS:
• Army Meritorious Civilian Service Medal: 2023, 2026
• Army Civilian Service Commendation Medal: 2020
• Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service: 2012
• Commanders Award for Civilian Service: 2009, 2011, 2018