Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith | Col. Mark Schindler, deputy adjutant general - Army, passes the 213th Regional Support...... read more read more
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The 213th Regional Support Group, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, held a change-of-command ceremony Oct. 15, 2017 at the historic Allentown Fairgrounds here.
Col. Mark Austin assumed command from Col. Laura McHugh with the traditional passing of the colors.
McHugh will now be the Pennsylvania National Guard chief of staff while Austin remains the Deputy for Facilities and Engineering for the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in his civilian career.
“I am hopeful that as I pass the colors to Col. Austin, you all feel nothing but absolute pride for the amazing and historic organization that each and every one of you is a part of. Ladies and gentlemen as I leave you today, I salute you for a job well done. Honor First!” said McHugh, a resident of Pine Grove, Pa.
Under McHugh’s leadership, the Group welcomed the 213th Personnel Company and the 828th Financial Detachments from one year deployments, while the 628th Finance Management Support Detachment and 1902nd Support Detachment Contracting Team are currently deployed. The Group reorganized, transferring several units out and welcoming the 228th Motor Transportation Battalion, 121st Transportation Company, 721st Transportation Company, 252nd Quartermaster Company, and 108th Area Support Medical Company.
Additionally, the Group participated in several exercises in the U.S. and overseas, supported the Papal visit, Democratic National Convention, presidential inauguration. It provided support to Pennsylvania during several storms, and supported Texas, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands during the recent hurricanes.
“This is my message to the 213th Regional Support Group: always be prepared, always be ready,” said Austin, a Harrisburg, Pa. resident.
He added that readiness starts at the individual level and every Soldier standing in formation bears the heavy responsibility to be prepared at all times. This means showing up, being accountable for your actions, staying physically fit, keeping your mind clear and focused, being proficient at your job, and being willing to work for the common good.
The 213th Regional Support Group has a lineage that traces back to the 'Lehigh Fencibles,' organized in August of 1849 in the city of Allentown. The unit was then reorganized less than a year later as the 'Allen Rifles,' who later responded to President Lincoln’s call for troops to defend the national Capitol in Washington, D.C., at the outbreak of the Civil War. Since then elements of the 213th have participated in nine major conflicts: the Civil War, War with Spain, World Wars I & II, Korea, Gulf War, Kosovo, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom.
McHugh chose the Allentown Fairgrounds for the ceremony because exactly 100 years ago, in 1917, the United States Army Ambulance Service trained ambulance drivers for the Western Front of World War I at the fairgrounds, then called Camp Crane.
The 213th Regional Support Group consists of more than 20 specialized units located throughout the state. The units that represent the 213th RSG include finance, maintenance, personnel, sustainment, transportation, contracting, and public affairs.
For more information ‘like’ the 213th Regional Support Group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/213RSG
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2017 12:49 |
| Story ID: | 251965 |
| Location: | ALLENTOWN, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 783 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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