FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- A change of command ceremony at Fort Drum, New York, on February 6 not only marked the arrival of a new commander for D/10 “Grey Eagle” Company, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (LI), but also the unit’s realignment from the brigade’s 3-10 General Support Aviation Battalion to 1-10 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion.
“The realignment from 3-10 GSAB to 1-10 ARB will be seamless for most Soldiers,” said the company’s new commander, Capt. Luke Lewis. “Being back within the Attack Reconnaissance Battalion will allow for better training opportunities for D/10 and our MQ-1C operators. Being able to conduct reconnaissance, targeting, surveillance and attack training with the AH-64s in 1-10 ARB will make us much more prepared to conduct similar tasks on future deployments.”
Lewis, who is originally from Oxford, New York, and attended college at St. Lawrence University, has been a member of 10th CAB for nearly two years. He served as the intelligence officer for 3-10 GSAB before moving to D/10. Lewis will now apply his skillset in leading the unmanned aircraft systems to enhanced levels of readiness under a new battalion.
“My number one priority is to take care of Soldiers and Families,” said Lewis. “I want to ensure that all D/10 Soldiers are set up for success in all aspects of life and are ready to accomplish any mission, building readiness in order to prepare this company for whatever our Nation may call upon us for.”
Capt. Joshua Heiner, the outgoing company commander, led D/10 through an extremely successful deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield. The company was credited with providing immense strategic impacts in the fight against ISIS. Heiner relinquished command with some parting words of wisdom for his former Soldiers.
“It's not the commander that makes a unit,” said Heiner. “Every Soldier plays an important role and if any piece is missing, we don't succeed. I'm proud of my Soldiers for the exceptional way in which they came together to overcome every obstacle in our paths, and that at the end of the day, I can reflect back on my time with D/10 and know that we deployed and executed our mission in support of the Coalition in Iraq in an exceptional manner. Every one of them should be proud of the team we've built.”
Heiner will be moving on to Fort Rucker, Alabama, to further his education before joining the 209th Military Intelligence Battalion (AE), at Fort Hood, Texas.
D/10 will continue to train internally and alongside members of 10th Mountain Division in order to build readiness and project overwhelming and strategic combat power in order to fight and win in any conflict on behalf of our Nation.