Photo By Sgt. Steven Fox | Lieutenant Col. Craig A. Wolfenbarger speaks during the 2nd Marine Special Operations...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Lt. Col. Benjamin J. Pappas relinquished command of 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, to Lt. Col. Craig A. Wolfenbarger during a change of command ceremony at the MARSOC headquarters at Stone Bay, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 3, 2015.
Marines, Sailors, family and friends were in attendance to watch the change of command, signified by the passing of the colors between the two commanders.
Prior to Pappas relinquishing command, he reflected on his time leading the battalion and the accomplishments of the Marines in his charge.
“I am most proud of the way our battalion met every challenge head on and the members of this battalion delivered world class results just like the Marine Corps expects us to,” said Pappas. “We were able to adapt and overcome and always displayed our Spiritus Invictus, the unconquerable spirit.”
The battalion is one of three within MSOR, and is geographically aligned to support Special Operations Command Central, the authority presiding over special operations in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility. The battalion trains Marine special operators, maintains combat readiness and regularly deploys task-organized and scalable Marine Special Operations Companies (MSOC) in its charge to conduct a full spectrum of special operations missions.
Colonel Andrew R. Milburn, Commander, MSOR, spoke briefly during the ceremony about the accomplishments of the battalion under Pappas.
“Second MSOB has been responsible for some really impressive things over the course of the last few years, especially after we started shifting regionalization,” said Milburn.
Under Pappas’s tenure, 2nd MSOB grew a fourth company, successfully executed numerous direct combat missions in Western Afghanistan, and transitioned from a focus on Afghanistan to an overall area of operation in U.S. Central Command. He also oversaw the improvement of the battalion’s material readiness and accountability procedures, and the provision of care and support to all of the battalion’s service members, civilians and their families.
Wolfenbarger arrives to the battalion from MSOR where he was the operations officer. Prior to his tour at MSOR, he was the executive officer for 2nd MSOB.
Citing Wolfenbarger’s experience in the command, and general ability, Pappas said he believes the selection board got it right when they selected Wolfenbarger for command, and he will take the battalion to an even higher level.
In closing the ceremony, Wolfenbarger spoke briefly about the ceremonial proceedings and the battalion.
“This ceremony serves to commemorate the transition of command, but also to pause and acknowledge the accomplishments and sacrifice of the battalion,” said Wolfenbarger. “I’m honored and humbled to be able to serve as your commanding officer.”
Wolfebarger said the battalion will continue to develop and manage its personnel so they are trained, educated and have the experience to meet future needs of MARSOC and SOCOM.
Future employment of the regionally aligned MSOB will enable MARSOC to deploy the battalion’s companies with the capability to command, control and coordinate SOF operations in a variety of designated sub-regions.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2015 11:56 |
| Story ID: | 166977 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 819 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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