Wednesday, Jun. 22, 2011

2nd Bn., 46th Inf. Regt. changes command

Lt. Col. Cale Brown replaced Lt. Col. Christopher Willis as the commander of the 2nd Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, in a change of command ceremony June 14 at Pomeroy Field.

“As is the tradition in our Army, as one command team moves on, another great command team quickly steps up,” said Col. Terrence McKenrick, commander of the 192nd Infantry Brigade.

McKenrick said the battalion was the first to complete an arrival from Fort Knox, Ky., and integrate into Fort Benning as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure initiative.

Brown’s previous assignment was as task force senior maneuver trainer and mentor at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La.

“I am confident that under your leadership, this outstanding battalion will continue to build the most competent, confident, adaptive and combat ready Soldiers for our Army at war,” McKenrick said of Brown.

Brown said he was proud to have the privilege to serve as commander of the battalion.

“I am incredibly proud to join you and at the same time utterly humbled by the challenge and privilege of serving as your commander,” he said. “I want you to understand that my daily pledge — getting out of bed every morning — is to do all that I can to earn that privilege.”

Willis, the outgoing commander, said the ceremony marked the first change of command for the battalion at Fort Benning. While at Fort Knox, Ky., the battalion trained more than 70,000 Soldiers in basic combat training. The unit arrived at Fort Benning in January, and within a five-month time frame, successfully trained more than 1,000 Soldiers.

“My intent has been to get 2/46 up to the high standards of Fort Benning before today,” Willis said. “I think that we have met that mission. This successful transformation has been due to the hard work of two entire different sets of battalions XOs, S-3s, military and civilian staff, company commanders and first sergeants.”

Willis’ next assignment is as the deputy commander of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.