CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines and sailors joined together to celebrate a change of command in which the commanding officer of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Lt. Col. Patrick J. Keane relinquished command to Lt. Col. Anthony J. Bango aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 9.
A change of command ceremony is a tradition that represents the transferring of command from one commanding officer to another.
“Leaving this battalion is without question one the hardest things I have ever had to do. It is only made easier because I am handing it off to [Bango],” said Keane, a native of East Meadow, N.Y. “You are the right guy across every possible measure. I know this battalion will do extremely well under you.”
Bango has been with the battalion since 2010 as the executive officer, and now becomes the 20th commanding officer of Light Armored Reconnaissance Bn.
“It is my goal to reset the battalion and have us refocus and train on the mission essential tasks of an LAR Bn., because now we are drawing down from Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom,” said Bango, a native of Harrisville, N.Y.
With Keane transferring command of the battalion over, he had some final words to say to the Marines and sailors with the unit.
“Out of the many ranks and titles I have held in my time in the Marine Corps, that of being with the ‘Destroyers’ is the one I will keep close by me,” said Keane. “Family will always be the most important thing to me, and you will always be my family.”
After the changing of command, Bango thanked the Marines, sailors, family and friends who have helped him get to this position, and had one thing left to say to the destroyers of LAR Bn:
“Destroyers, it is good to be home!”