‘Death from below’ receives new commanding officer

Photo By Cpl. Scott L. Tomaszycki | Lt. Col. Benjamin J. Palmer stands at attention as the national anthem plays during the change of command ceremony for 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion at MCAS Cherry Point’s Miller’s Landing. Lt. Col. Joel A. Burdette assumed command during the ceremony.  

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, UNITED STATES

12.16.2010

Story by Lance Cpl. Scott L. Tomaszycki 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Second Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion welcomed Lt. Col. Joel A. Burdette as its new commanding officer in a change of command ceremony at MCAS Cherry Point’s officer’s and staff non-commissioned officer’s club, Miller’s Landing, Dec. 16.

During the ceremony, Lt. Col. Benjamin J. Palmer, the outgoing CO, spoke proudly of his battalion for successfully completing a deployment to Afghanistan, where his Marines served as a provisional infantry security force.

Back in the U.S., 2nd LAAD Marines maintained proficiency as an anti-aircraft unit.

Col. Peter G. DeVine, CO of Marine Air Control Group 28 said that 2nd LAAD put a lot of effort into completing their missions at home and abroad.

“Ben, as you relinquish command, you can take great pride in the many accomplishments of your battalion and the performance of your Marines and sailors,” said Maj. Gen. Jon M. Davis, commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. “Your efforts in refocusing the battalion from training strictly as a security force to a balanced ground-based air defense and security force posture has produced a well trained and balanced unit.”

Palmer gave the credit for the battalion’s successes to the Marines and sailors under his command stating that he was the enabler of the success, but those under his command were the ones who achieved the success.

“All the time I’ve been here, I’ve focused on one thing, and that’s making this battalion the best,” said Palmer. “It’s not me; it’s what they’ve done. I just set the stage to allow them to be successful and they’ve done that.”

Palmer also mentioned how 2nd LAAD is more to him than a unit – it’s a family. Palmer then welcomed Burdette into the family.

Burdette accepted, and gave credit to those who mentored him in the past for helping him attain this new position of responsibility.

Burdette said when he was commissioned, his father told him to never forget where he came from; in that spirit he said he remembers all of the staff non-commissioned officers and junior Marines he has learned from along the way and from whom he hopes to continue to learn.

• Date Taken: 12.16.2010
• Date Posted: 12.23.2010 09:51
• Story ID: 62534
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US