I Corps bid farewell Monday to three of its highest-ranking officers as part of an honors ceremony on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Brig. Gen. Peter C. Bayer Jr., departing chief of staff for I Corps and Fort Lewis and Brig. Gen. Heidi V. Brown, departing deputy commanding general for sustainment, I Corps, are moving on to assignments in Washington, D.C.

Brig. Gen. Jeffery W. Mathis' next assignment has not yet been announced. Mathis served as deputy commanding general of I Corps during his stint at the joint base.

Acting I Corps commander, Maj. Gen. John D. Johnson, was on hand and spoke to a large crowd that included distinguished guests like retired Gen. John Shalikashvili, retired Maj. Gen. Edward Trobaugh, Mayor Tamara Jenkins of DuPont and Mayor Ron Lucas of Steilacoom, as well as regimental and battalion commanders from the entire base.

"Through their leadership, these officers have ensured that this Corps, and JBLM, is well equipped for the future," said Johnson. "Your examples will be reflected in (the soldiers') success."

Mathis spoke of his seven-year stint at JBLM and the many opportunities given to him in that time, including a Special Operations command with the Washington National Guard.

"It has been my privilege to serve as a teammate with some great soldiers in I Corps," said Bayer.

Bayer's new assignment will be director of Strategy, Plans and Policy, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, in Washington, D.C.

"To leave you with a quote, I chose Dr. Seuss. ‘Don't cry because its over, smile because it happened,'" he continued. "My family and I will be leaving JBLM with smiles."

"This experience took me out of my comfort zone," said Brown, whose entire career prior to arriving at JBLM was in Air Defense. "But in the end, it made me a better person and I think, a better officer."

Brown will be relocating to Washington, D.C. where she will become the director of integration, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the U. S. Army.