Photo By Sgt. Alex Romey | Col. John R. Gunter, the incoming commander of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st...... read more read more
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FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – The 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, also known as “Air Cav,” conducted both a change of command and a casing ceremony on June 6, 2024, on Cooper Field, Fort Cavazos, Texas.
The two-part ceremony began with the brigade change of command between the outgoing commander, Col. Tim Jaeger, and the incoming commander, Col. John Gunter. Gunter will lead the Air Cav for its upcoming overseas rotation to Europe, while Jaeger will assume a new role within the division headquarters.
“The 1st Cavalry Division is extremely fortunate, as Tim will transition to become our chief of staff,” said Brig. Gen Robert Born, the division’s deputy commanding general for support and current home station mission commander, who oversaw the change of command ceremony. “You will not find a better leader in our Army than Col. Tim Jaeger, and we are truly fortunate he will remain on the First Team,” Born continued.
During his time in command, Col. Jaeger led the Air Cav in redeploying from EUCOM to Fort Cavazos in September 2022 and redeploying the attack aviation battalion from the Central Command (CENTCOM) in July 2022. He led the Air Cav during their National Training Center (NTC) Rotation 23-08 in July of 2023, including through the Divisional Cavalry Regiment (DIVCAV) pilot program, which demonstrated the extreme lethality possible in the DIVCAV configuration. Furthermore, Col. Jaeger also led the Air Cav through multiple warfighter exercises, including the III Armored Corps’ Remagen Ready in the fall of 2023.
“John … the team you’re about to lead is composed of some of the finest Soldiers, officers, and aviators in our Army,” said Jaeger to his successor. “They’re dedicated professionals who are committed to excellence in every mission. With your leadership, I have no doubt the [Air Cav] will excel,” Jaeger said in his final remarks as the Air Cav commander.
The second part of the ceremony was the casing of the brigade colors. The casing ceremony is a time-honored Army tradition that symbolizes a unit transitioning from a garrison to an environment abroad. Once Air Cav has arrived in Europe and is prepared to assume its mission, it will hold an official uncasing and transfer of authority, or TOA, ceremony. The Air Cav will replace the 1st Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade Team, based in Fort Riley, Kansas.
“This is not just a rotation; this is a mission of utmost importance,” said Col. Gunter in his first speech as the Air Cav commander. “We will not measure our success in hours flown or missions executed, but to a level of trust, lethality and operational reach that we extend to our division leadership, our allies and our partners across the world,” Gunter continued.
The deployment is a planned rotation of forces supporting the U.S. Army’s V Corps and the 1st Cavalry Division’s mission in the United States European Command (EUCOM). Once in Europe, the Air Cav will participate in joint and multinational training exercises with NATO Allies and partnered nations, enabling the brigade to build interoperability and readiness in Europe.
“John is a distinguished leader and combat aviator … [who] will lead with distinction and sustain the outstanding legacy of the Air Cavalry Brigade,” said Born about the new brigade commander. “John, good luck and command well,” Born concluded.
For more information about the 1st Cavalry Division, please follow the 1st Cavalry Division’s Army webpage or the 1st Cavalry Division’s Facebook page.
The 1st Cavalry Division provides scalable combat-ready forces up to an expeditionary division or Joint Task Force (JTF) headquarters, capable of conducting unified land operations anywhere in the world on short notice to support diverse and fluid mission requirements.
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2024 11:41 |
| Story ID: | 473273 |
| Location: | FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 71 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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