Photo By Pfc. Gabriel Martinez | U.S. Army Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment and 1st Battalion, 41st...... read more read more
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PABRADE, Lithuania - U.S. service members deployed to the European theater from two U.S. Army battalions participated in a double transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Herkus, Lithuania, on Oct. 3, 2025. The commander for the outgoing 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Brigade shared his view of the missions he and his Soldiers have supported for nearly a year.
"My favorite part of this rotation has been leading the Soldiers in a dynamic, real-world environment alongside our Lithuanian partners and the Griffin Brigade," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ritchie Rhodes, commander of 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Brigade.
"The impact we wanted to make in Lithuania was twofold: to strengthen deterrence against any potential aggression and to reassure our NATO allies of the United States' unwavering commitment to collective defense," Rhodes said.
The commander emphasized the unity and solidarity created by joint training missions, saying, "By training alongside our Lithuanian partners, we demonstrated that our forces are ready, capable, and interoperable. Our presence here sends a clear message of unity and resolve."
Both commanders spoke about the mutually beneficial aspects of joint training missions for U.S. and allied forces. They agreed that interoperability is less about systems and technology and more about people, processes, and relationships that build stronger teams and increase readiness.
Meanwhile, Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment observed the casing of their battalion colors as authority was officially transferred to the incoming commander. Outgoing 3rd Battalion commander, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Walter Biner, said, "I hope they know that our commitment to them and their security has been our 'why' throughout this deployment."Rhodes also praised his unit's accomplishments during the rotation. "The Glory Battalion has performed fantastic. They have deployed across the theater, fired hundreds of 155mm rounds, conducted force-on-force engagements at Combined Resolve, and trained with soldiers from six different countries," he said.
The incoming units, 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, expressed their determination to maintain the momentum established by their predecessors. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert Graves, commander of 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, explained how his unit's motto, "Can and Will," drives his Soldiers. "Can represents building our potential through maintenance and training, and will is about delivery. Part of deterrence is being a viable threat, and you do that by building capacity every day and being ready to use it when the time comes," he said.
The incoming commander for 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Carl Kuechemeister, emphasized his unit's mindset. "Our motto is 'Always Ready.' It reflects how we conduct ourselves, both in and out of uniform, how we lead our Soldiers, and how we take a disciplined approach to planning, preparing, and executing operations."
Transfer of authority and change of command ceremonies date back to the American Revolution. The passing of a unit's colors symbolizes the transfer of responsibility and authority from one commander to the next. It is a tradition shared with NATO partners that honors past leadership while reinforcing unit pride and mission focus.
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| Date Taken: | 10.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2025 15:31 |
| Story ID: | 552448 |
| Location: | PABRADE, LT |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A double transfer of authority for U.S. troops, Lithuania, by SGT James Garcia, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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