FORT BRAGG, N.C. – A 25-year U.S. Army veteran assumed command over 5th Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment during a change of command ceremony July 13 on Fort Bragg’s Pike Field.
Lt. Col. John Ebbighausen, the incoming battalion commander, said he was honored to accept responsibility for the unit and its Soldiers. His assumption of command marked his return to the 5-113th, where he briefly served as a captain earlier in his career.
“The caliber of the soldiers in the fifth battalion has been high since I joined the unit the first time,” Ebbighausen said.
The battalion, which part of the North Carolina National Guard, is headquartered in Louisburg, but spent its July drill weekend conducting training on Fort Bragg. The Sunday morning change of command ceremony brought family members, fellow National Guard leaders, and former 5-113th Soldiers together to watch Ebbighausen accept the unit’s colors from Col. Danny Milles, who commands the battalion’s higher headquarters, 60th Troop Command, based out of Raleigh.
Relinquishing command was Lt. Col. Jack Midyette, who took one final opportunity to review his formations alongside Ebbighausen before passing away the colors.
Midyette oversaw the battalion’s 2013 deployment to Egypt, where they supported an international peacekeeping mission as a Multinational Force and Observers element. During this deployment, the 5-113th can proudly report zero accidents over the countless miles their convoys traveled and zero losses, Midyette said.
“It’s been a great opportunity serving you throughout my career,” he said in his official remarks during the ceremony, addressing the Soldiers standing in formation on the parade field.
Looking to the future, Ebbighausen said he plans to focus the unit’s training on its field artillery roots and high-mobility artillery rocket systems.
As the full-time executive officer for 60th Troop Command, he said he’s ready to build off the 5-113th Soldiers’ skills, motivation and operational tempo.
“They know their systems, they have the attention to detail to accomplish the mission,” Ebbighausen said. “My focus and memory of field artillery is 100 percent section certification.”