The Maneuver Center of Excellence has announced new commanders for the Infantry and Armor schools at Fort Benning.

The new commander of the Armor School is  Col. Paul J. Laughlin, and the new chief of Infantry School is Col. David B. Haight. A joint ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday,  at Marshall Auditorium in McGinnis-Wickam Hall.

  Laughlin, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., was commissioned as a second lieutenant of armor, after graduating from the University of Massachusetts. He also received a master's degree from the National War College and from Central Michigan University.

  His most recent assignment was executive officer for the commanding general of U.S. Army Europe in Heidelberg, Germany.

     Haight was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry after graduating from Brigham Young University as the ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate.

     He received a bachelor's degree in history from Brigham Young University and a master's degree in national Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval Command and Staff College. He also has a master's  degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.

   Haight served as executive assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the deputy director of the Pakistan/Afghanistan coordination cell.