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CAMP GRUBER, Okla. - Guardsmen, friends and family gathered Sunday for the change of command ceremony between Col. Douglass Stall, of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Lt. Col. David Parker, of Owasso, Oklahoma at Camp Gruber Training Center (CGTC) near Braggs, Oklahoma.
CGTC is the Oklahoma National Guard’s premier training area, which operates and maintains training facilities used routinely by active and reserve components of the military, including civilian authorities such as law enforcement.
“My father was a WWII Vet who served in the military for 30 years and retired as a Colonel,” Stall said, who is on the eve of retirement. “To follow in his footsteps and to have been given these opportunities in the Oklahoma Army National Guard has meant a lot and I’m very proud of that service.”
When asked what he would miss most from his more than 30 years of service, Stall’s reply was short and heartfelt.
“I love working around heroes,” Stall said. “I think that is what I’m going to miss most; heroes, those Soldiers who day-in and day-out serve their country.”
Parker, previously CGTC’s full-time area of operations officer, now assumes the role of commander.
“Assuming command isn’t something you can ever take lightly,” Parker said. “It’s always an awesome responsibility.”
Parker’s new command consists of just over 100 Soldiers and support personnel. Though not a sizeable unit, the CGTC staff has a much bigger responsibility than most units its size.
“We are charged with being able to support over 7,000 people in the Oklahoma Army National Guard,” Parker said. “Those goals are meant to help Soldiers on deployment. Helping those Soldiers become successful is the most important thing we can do.”
Commissioned in 1942 to support operations during World War II, CGTC prepared Soldiers initially for the European Theater and later for the Pacific Theater. Decommissioned from federal service in 1946, Gruber reopened in 1977 for reserve and active component unit training.
Under Parker’s leadership, CGTC will continue its long history of effectively training Soldiers for deployment and domestic operations.
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 10.25.2016 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 212659 |
| Location: | BRAGGS, OK, US |
| Hometown: | OWASSO, OK, US |
| Hometown: | TULSA, OK, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Oklahoma National Guard premier training center changes command, by SSG Eric McDonough, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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