Dunmyer becomes Commandant of the U.S. Army War College
Photo By Robert Martin |
Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, Army University President shakes hand the new 55th......read moreread more
Photo By Robert Martin | Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, Army University President shakes hand the new 55th Commandant of the U.S. Army War College Brig. Gen. Antwan Dunmyer after the reading of orders, during his assumption ceremony. Carlisle Barracks, Bliss Auditorium, July 29. see less
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Dunmyer becomes Commandant of the U.S. Army War College
Carlisle Barracks, PA.— Yesterday, July 29th, the U.S. Army War College held an assumption of command ceremony for Brig. Gen. Antwan Dunmyer, who officially became the institution's 55th commandant. He succeeds Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, who has been reassigned as the President of the Army University here at Carlisle Barracks.
An assumption of command occurs when a new leader takes charge of a unit without an outgoing commander present to hand over control. Instead of the traditional physical passing of the unit’s colors between commanders, the ceremony centers on the reading of official orders, which formally grants the incoming officer full operational and disciplinary authority under military law.
Despite the unique nature of this transition,Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, who briefly served as the 54th Commandant of the USAWC, acted as the presiding officer and took the opportunity to address the audience.
“I came here to serve as your Commandant, and the Army issued orders requiring me to alter my focus and prepare to assume duties as the President of the Army University,” said Bredenkamp.
Reflecting on his brief tenure, Bredenkamp expressed gratitude to the personnel who kept the institution running.“I would like to thank and recognize the faculty and staff for their dedication over the last academic year during a period of unprecedented change that not only included an extended government shutdown but also change involving the movement of Army University from Fort Leavenworth to Carlisle Barracks. Your dedication to the mission of the U.S. Army War College and its people is simply awesome, so thank you,” he said.
Turning his attention to the future of the college,Bredenkamp then introduced Commandant Brig. Gen. Dunmyer, highlighting their professional history.
“I have had the pleasure of observing Antwan in action closely since shortly after he graduated from the War College, starting with our shared service in Afghanistan and then in an equally challenging operating environment in the Pentagon,” Bredenkamp shared. “He has served in a variety of operational, institutional and enterprise experiences, most recently at the Mission Command Center of Excellence, which is to say he has spent this past year doing a version of what we do at the War College, developing leaders and working out how the Army ought to think and fight.”
“I have no doubt that he will hit the ground running, so get ready,” he added,before officially inviting the new commandant to the stage.
Upon taking the podium,Dunmyer spoke about the enduring legacy first envisioned by Secretary of War Elihu Root and how it defines the modern mission of the U.S. Army War College.
“More than a century after founder Elihu Root first envisioned the institution, the core mission of the U.S. Army War College remains more critical than ever to national security,” said Dunmyer. “The college is dedicated to preparing future generations of senior leaders to think strategically and decide under conditions of uncertainty within an ever-increasing complex security environment.”
“By fostering high-level strategic reasoning and decisive leadership, the institution serves as a vital training ground, ensuring that senior commanders and advisors are fully equipped to navigate and lead through modern, unpredictable global challenges,” he emphasized.
A 2019 graduate of the War College himself, Dunmyer most recently served as the Director of the Mission Command Center of Excellence. He previously served as the Deputy Commanding General for Operations for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
His combat leadership includes serving as the Deputy Commander for Train, Advise, Assist Command–West (TAAC-W) in Herat, Afghanistan, during Operation Resolute Support.
In addition to his field command experience,Dunmyer holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from South Carolina State University and a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.
