Photo By Staff Sgt. Cody Voye | Col. Ryan T. Smith passes the battalion colors to Lt. Col. Paul A. Maness signifying...... read more read more
CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, Arkansas – Soldiers, friends and family gathered together as the 489th Engineer Battalion said farewell to one commander and welcomed another during a Change of Command ceremony at Camp Robinson Maneuver Training Center Post Headquarters, May 20.
Army Lt. Col. Myles B. Gill relinquished command of the battalion to Lt. Col. Paul A. Maness, who previously served as the 416th Theater Engineer Command (TEC) operations officer.
A change of command is a military tradition that represents a transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit or command. The history, tradition, and accomplishments of the command are embodied in the colors. The passing of colors from an outgoing commander to an incoming commander ensures that the unit and its Soldiers are never without official leadership, represents a continuation of trust, and signifies an allegiance of Soldiers to their unit's commander.
“Under Gills’ leadership, the 489th Engineer Battalion has had multiple units conduct real-world missions around the globe including Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Germany, Exercise Resolute Castle in Romania, and multiple unit mobilizations, among other accolades,” said Col. Ryan T. Smith, 420th Engineer Brigade commander and the ceremony’s presiding officer.
“Today we honor Lt. Col. Gill on his successful command and celebrate what he and his team have accomplished over the past two years,” said Smith. “I want to emphasize that Lt. Col. Gill, assumed command during COVID-19, when much of the Army hadn’t been to the field in two years. It is amazing all that he has accomplished during his tenure as commander.
“To all the Soldiers, NCO’s, officers, and civilian staff of the battalion, thank you for your amazing work supporting Soldiers, their Families, and the subordinate units,” said Gill. As he leaves, Gill is confident in the abilities of the incoming commander, Lt. Col. Maness. “Lt. Col. Maness is exactly the kind of officer this battalion deserves.”
Lt. Col. Maness brings a plethora of experience from over twenty-three years of service as both enlisted and as an engineer officer from the platoon and company level to the TEC, as well as Contingency Response Unit (CRU) deputy commander, and as an Observer, Controller, and Trainer (OCT).
As commander of the 489th Engineer Battalion, Maness will be responsible for overseeing the 688th Engineer Company, 704th Engineer Company, 806th Engineer Company, 739th Engineer Company, 855th Engineer Detachment, 279th Engineer Detachment, 469th Engineer Platoon, 376th Engineer Firefighting Detachment, and the Headquarters and Forward Support companies of the battalion.
“I’m really excited to be here and build on the successes of Lt. Col. Gill and the companies,” said Maness.
As for the departing commander, Lt. Col. Gill said “I’m extremely proud of the accomplishments of this battalion and its units during my two years here. I’ll see you in the thick of the fight.”
| Date Taken: | 05.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2023 12:22 |
| Story ID: | 445177 |
| Location: | CAMP JOSEPH T ROBINSON, AR, US |
| Web Views: | 382 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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