116th Brigade Combat Team welcomes new commander
Col. John Epperly takes command of the Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team from Col. Blake Ortner in a traditional change of command ceremony held June 17 at Fort A. P. Hill. Brig. Gen. William R. Phillips, II, the Virginia Army National Guard land component commander, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command. Ortner commanded the 116th BCT since June 2009, including the brigade headquarters deployment to Afghanistan from July 2011 to January 2012. Epperly served as the rear detachment brigade commander for the remaining units still serving in Virginia during the headquarter's deployment. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)
116th Brigade Combat Team welcomes new commander
Col. John Epperly takes command of the Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team from Col. Blake Ortner in a traditional change of command ceremony held June 17 at Fort A. P. Hill. Brig. Gen. William R. Phillips, II, the Virginia Army National Guard land component commander, presided over the exchange of unit colors that represented the transfer of command. Ortner commanded the 116th BCT since June 2009, including the brigade headquarters deployment to Afghanistan from July 2011 to January 2012. Epperly served as the rear detachment brigade commander for the remaining units still serving in Virginia during the headquarter's deployment. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)