Photo By Staff Sgt. Devon Jones | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Col. Lou Kangas, the incoming commander of the...... read more read more
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – The Observer, Coach, Trainers (OC/Ts), colleagues and friends of the 189th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division West gathered to welcome Col. Lou Kangas as the new brigade commander and bid farewell to Col. Hank Barnes during a Change of Command Ceremony held at Watkins Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington July 21, 2023.
“I would like to personally welcome Col. Lou Kangas, his wife Mandy and other family and friends to the First Army team,” said Maj. Gen Joseph Edwards, the commander of First Army Division West. “He is viewed as a great fit for the Cold Steel Brigade, certainly as a Solder, a Leader, and one with a very positive reputation.”
This assignment marks a return for Kangas and his Family to Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
“We are certainly excited to be back in the Pacific Northwest, not just because of the weather, but because of the people and the community,” Kangas said. “Major General Edwards, thank you for the opportunity to command your unit. It’s an honor and a privilege to join your team.”
During his speech, Edwards also expressed appreciation to Barnes for his Leadership and commitment to excellence throughout his two-year tenure in command.
“People must be very passionate about their work or their organization in order to achieve greatness, and creating a culture and organization where energy, effort, and enthusiasm is the norm and a baseline operating model is a challenge for any commander,” Edwards said. “It was the norm under Cold Steel under Hank Barnes.”
The mission of the brigade through the years has long been instrumental to the success of citizens Soldiers and their units throughout the western United States.
“Over half of our nation’s great Army and its formidable capability resides in the National Guard and the United States Army Reserve,” Edwards said. “The First Army team carries a mission like any other in the world, and together, we enable and deploy more than half of our total force, and the 189th Infantry Brigade “Cold Steel” is critical to that capability.”
To accomplish the brigade’s mission and a remain doctrinally-sound organization, a culture of consistency is vital at all levels.
“Culture trumps everything,” Barnes said. “We are one team - Active Duty and Reserve Soldiers, DA Civilians, and Families, who are purpose-driven and always ready. Pushing each other to be fit, disciplined, and adaptive, so thank you for living up to those aspirations and making the positive culture of this organization a reality.”
The new commander is eager to hit the ground running to bring the brigade forwards to even further levels of readiness in the months and years ahead.
“To the Soldiers of Cold Steel, I am excited to join your ranks to make sure that this brigade continues to be a championship caliber team, a team of professionals who are ready to answer our nation’s call,” Kangas said.
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.25.2023 07:38 |
| Story ID: | 449920 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 161 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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