Fort Stewart, Ga. – Soldiers, Family members, friends, past and future Dogface Soldiers gathered on a hot Georgia Summer day on Cottrell Field, Fort Stewart, Ga. to witness the 3rd Infantry Division change of command on June 3. Maj. Gen. Leopoldo A. Quintas, Jr. relinquished command of the Marne Division to Maj. Gen. Antonio A. Aguto, Jr., after 25 months command.
Aguto returns to the Division, after commanding 2nd Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Id while the unit was still in Germany.
The presiding officer for the ceremony was Gen. Michael X. Garret, commanding general of the United States Army Forces Command. He shared his personal views and thoughts of the two commanders giving sound advice to Maj. Gen. Quintas, who is scheduled to take over as his deputy at FORSCOM later this summer.
“For those of you who haven’t heard today’s ceremony is also something of a swap meet,” said Garret. “3rd Infantry Division, the loss of your commander today is my gain, Maj. Gen. Quintas will soon see a lot more of me as he joins the FORSCOM team as deputy commanding general.”
Garret thanked Quintas and his wife Lori for their service to the 3rd ID Soldiers, Families and the community. Under Quintas’ commanded the Marne Division and achieved many accomplishments and accolades.
“I’ve been a Soldier since I was a brand new Second Lt. in 3rd Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 3rd ID more than 32 years ago in Kitzingen, Germany,” said Quintas. “There is no greater honor than to be a Dogface Soldier, so rather than review the many accomplishments of the division over the last two years, and there are many. I’m going to tell you what it means to be a Dogface Soldier.”
Quintas went on to tell the story of Audie Murphy and said Dogface Soldiers are our competitive advantage in any conflict and will assure their victory, and he is very proud to have been counted among them.
Executed flawlessly the division’s ceremony continued. The Marne Division’s Band played symphonies that the crowd enjoyed as they watched the Division’s colors pass from the Command Sgt. Maj. Michael J. Coffey, the division’s senior enlisted advisor, to Quintas, to Garret and finally to Aguto.
“I am awestruck and at a loss of words looking out at the mighty formation in front of us today,” said Aguto. “Dogface Soldiers you have once again made this Division, and it’s legacy proud. Thanks for what you and your Families do for each other every day.”