ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The 213th Regional Support Group, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, held a change-of-command ceremony Jan. 12, 2020 at William Allen High School here.
Lt. Col. Angelo Catalano assumed command from Col. James McCormack with the traditional passing of the colors.
“We in the Pennsylvania National Guard are very fortunate to have such a well-qualified leader in Lt. Col. Catalano to replace Col. McCormack,” said Brig. Gen. Mark Schindler, the ceremony’s presiding officer and the deputy adjutant general – Army.
Under McCormack’s leadership, the Group deployed units overseas in support of Operations Spartan Shield, Freedom’s Sentinel and Inherent Resolve; supported Pa. National Guard rotations at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Ca., and Decisive Strike in North Macedonia; and provided essential relief to areas affected by hurricanes in Texas, Florida, South Carolina and Puerto Rico, as well as blizzards in Pennsylvania.
“The 213th Regional Support Group, like all units in the Pennsylvania National Guard, represents everything that is good about our organization; professional, well-trained, physically fit, disciplined, accessible, and above all, ready to meet any challenge,” said Schindler.
In his final speech to 213th RSG Soldiers assembled by unit in the gymnasium, the outgoing commander thanked everyone for making his time in command a success.
“There is nothing I did during my time here without you. Without you, there is no command. Without you as our vanguard, we would not be as secure as a commonwealth and nation,” said McCormack.
The incoming commander looked ahead, citing the quick pace of change in world events and the demands placed on the National Guard.
“I challenge you to learn from each other, as I will honestly try to learn from you,” said Catalano. “Our support needs to move at the speed of their mission.”
The 213th Regional Support Group has a lineage that traces back to the 'Lehigh Fencibles,' organized in August of 1849 in the city of Allentown. The unit was then reorganized less than a year later as the 'Allen Rifles,' who later responded to President Lincoln’s call for troops to defend the national Capitol in Washington, D.C., at the outbreak of the Civil War. Since then elements of the 213th have participated in nine major conflicts: the Civil War, War with Spain, World Wars I & II, Korea, Gulf War, Kosovo, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The 213th Regional Support Group consists of more than 20 specialized units located throughout the state. The units that represent the 213th RSG include finance, maintenance, medical, personnel, sustainment, transportation, contracting, and public affairs.
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