New commander takes charge of Va. Guard's Winchester-based infantry battalion
Lt. Col. Erik Gordon took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Lt. Col. Paul Gilman in a change of command ceremony held Dec. 1, 2012, at the Cherry-Beasley Readiness Center. Col. John M. Epperly, commander of the 116th IBCT and former 3rd battalion commander, presided over the exchange of unit colors between the outgoing and incoming commanders, and Command Sgt. Maj. Alan M. Ferris, 3rd Battalion command sergeant major, was the keeper of the unit colors. Gordon most recently served as the construction branch chief for the Installations Division at National Guard Bureau prior to taking command of 3rd Battalion, and Gilman now serves as the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team executive officer. Since September 11, 2001,more than 15,000 Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have mobilized for federal active duty for homeland security missions and overseas duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, and Soldiers from 3rd Battalion last mobilized for federal active duty in Iraq and Kuwait from September 2007 to April 2008. Over the last 24 months, almost 200 Soldiers from the battalion have mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Soldiers from the battalion have also served on state active duty in support of emergency response operations during severe weather situations. In the last year, the battalion mobilized more than 150 Soldiers for State Active Duty in support of the Derecho storms in July as well as Hurricane Sandy in October. Former 3rd battalion commanders Brig. Gen. William R. Phillips, II, Col. Blake C. Ortner and Col. William L. Zana also attended the ceremony. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)
New commander takes charge of Va. Guard's Winchester-based infantry battalion
Lt. Col. Erik Gordon took command of the Virginia National Guard’s Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Lt. Col. Paul Gilman in a change of command ceremony held Dec. 1, 2012, at the Cherry-Beasley Readiness Center. Col. John M. Epperly, commander of the 116th IBCT and former 3rd battalion commander, presided over the exchange of unit colors between the outgoing and incoming commanders, and Command Sgt. Maj. Alan M. Ferris, 3rd Battalion command sergeant major, was the keeper of the unit colors. Gordon most recently served as the construction branch chief for the Installations Division at National Guard Bureau prior to taking command of 3rd Battalion, and Gilman now serves as the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team executive officer. Since September 11, 2001,more than 15,000 Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have mobilized for federal active duty for homeland security missions and overseas duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, and Soldiers from 3rd Battalion last mobilized for federal active duty in Iraq and Kuwait from September 2007 to April 2008. Over the last 24 months, almost 200 Soldiers from the battalion have mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Soldiers from the battalion have also served on state active duty in support of emergency response operations during severe weather situations. In the last year, the battalion mobilized more than 150 Soldiers for State Active Duty in support of the Derecho storms in July as well as Hurricane Sandy in October. Former 3rd battalion commanders Brig. Gen. William R. Phillips, II, Col. Blake C. Ortner and Col. William L. Zana also attended the ceremony. (Photo by Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)