Oklahoma Army National Guard training battalion gets new leader

Photo By Lt. Col. Geoff Legler | Lt. Col. Carrie I. Remer, of Dolores, Colorado, receives the unit colors for 2nd Battalion, 189th Regiment, Oklahoma Army National Guard, from Col. Chuck Booze, of Norman, Oklahoma, commander of the Regional Training Center. (Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Maj. Geoff Legler/Released)  

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, UNITED STATES

06.13.2016

Story by Lt. Col. Lindy White 

Oklahoma National Guard

OKLAHOMA CITY – The 2nd Battalion, 189th Regiment, Oklahoma Regional Training Institute (OKRTI) hosted a change of command ceremony this month, a longtime military tradition marking the arrival of a new unit leader.

Soldiers stood in formation in front of family and friends witnessing the ritual as the outgoing commander Lt. Col. Jason Gibson of Shawnee, Oklahoma, passed the unit colors to Lt. Col. Carrie Remer of Dolores, Colorado. Remer’s receipt of colors commemorates her first day as the unit’s top officer.

The members of 2-189th trace their lineage back to 1925, when the unit functioned as a direct fire support regiment to the famed 45th Infantry Division. The Battalion now provides training for officer candidates through the state commissioning program and hosts the Basic Leader Course for non-commissioned officers.

“It’s been a great two years,” said Col. Chuck Booze, of Norman, Oklahoma, commander of OKRTI referring to Gibson’s tenure as commander. Booze went on to say that the unit has a lot to be proud of during Gibson’s tenure, including receiving a perfect score during the Officer Candidate Accreditation process and in running the military’s Fit Program.

“The success here has not been me, it’s been Soldiers,” said Gibson. “My focus since day one has been people first, mission always.”

Gibson was commissioned in 1993 and has served in various positions throughout the Oklahoma Army National Guard and at National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2003 with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT). He holds a Master of Science degree in Entomology from Oklahoma State University.

Remer was commissioned through the state commissioning program at the OKRTI in 1997, a program she will now oversee. She initially served on active duty with the 18th Airborne Corp, Ft. Braggs, North Carolina, and deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm. Remer joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 1993 and has served in various enlisted and officer positions. She deployed in 2007-08 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom while serving as the Personnel Officer for the 45th IBCT.

“I know this Battalion is getting a first-rate commander,” said Booze. “One of the unique things about Lt. Col. Remer that we don’t see in a lot of officers is that she started where you started. She started as an enlisted Soldier and deployed to Desert Storm, came back and earned her commission. You could not ask for a better commander to lead this Battalion.”

Remer commended the cadre and staff and challenged them to continue to excel in training future leaders, both officers and enlisted.

“I know it’s an important mission to train our candidates,” said Remer. “We don’t know where they’re going to be in their future assignments and we need to prepare them for leadership in wartime. Thank you Col. Booze for your mentorship and this opportunity.”

• Date Taken: 06.13.2016
• Date Posted: 06.13.2016 17:09
• Story ID: 200952
• Location: OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, US
• Hometown: DOLORES, CO, US
• Hometown: MIDWEST CITY, OK, US
• Hometown: NORMAN, OK, US
• Hometown: SHAWNEE, OK, US