CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The Marine Corps’ most decorated division opened a new chapter as leadership of the famed "Blue Diamond" transitioned from Maj. Gen. Thomas B. Savage to Brig. Gen. Andrew T. Priddy during a change of command ceremony on May 29 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Savage departs after leading the 1st Marine Division through multiple crucial operations both foreign and domestic, including Operation Epic Fury, an extended Indo-Pacific deployment, and improving homeland defense through the southern border mission.
Standing before massed formations of Marines and sailors, representing the division's subordinate regiments and battalions, Savage passed the unit’s battle colors, heavy with streamers representing decades of combat campaigns, to Priddy. The symbolic physical transfer showcases the shifting of authority and the unbroken continuity of command.
"Marines and sailors serving in the Middle East, the Indian Ocean, into Southeast Asia. In northern Australia, across the Philippine and Japanese archipelagos, up onto the Korean Peninsula and on our southern border,” said I Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general Lt. Gen. Christian Wortman. “Major General Savage and his team have ensured that every single one of them is ready for whatever our nation might ask of them.”
Taking the podium for his farewell remarks, Savage addressed the troops he led. “We had a unit out on 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit five months into a six-month deployment. They're packing their bags, they're getting ready to come home, and they get told you're not going home...we don’t know how long they’re going to be out there," Savage said.
Following notification of the extended deployment, Savage received a call from the battalion commander about how the news was being handled by the troops. He responded, “Morale has never been higher.” “They want to do something that matters. It's that spirit. It's that Semper Fidelis spirit. It's that grit that makes them so awesome. And that's why this was my dream job.” Savage has led the division through a period of critical force design and modernization, while continuing the division’s strong warfighting tradition. He will continue his journey to his next assignment as the commanding general of Training and Education Command.
Headquartered at Camp Pendleton, the 1st Marine Division serves as the principal ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The command encompasses a highly trained force of more than 20,000 infantry, artillery, light armored reconnaissance, and combat engineer Marines and sailors postured for global deployment.
Since its activation in 1941, the division has played a pivotal role in major American conflicts, building its formidable reputation on battlefields ranging from Guadalcanal and the Chosin Reservoir to Hue City, Fallujah and Sangin.
Priddy assumes command of the division following his recent tour as the Chief of Staff, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, bringing extensive operational and leadership experience to the helm of the Blue Diamond.
“To the Marines and sailors of the 1st Marine Division, I look forward to the opportunity to serve alongside each of you here or in harm's way,” said Priddy. "You provide a level of certainty...When the nation calls, we'll be ready to answer that call. We do it not because it is easy, but because of what's expected of us as Marines and sailors of the 1st Marine Division."
The ceremony concluded with a traditional pass in review, where the formations of troops marched past the reviewing stand to salute their new commander, signaling the division’s readiness to move forward under Priddy’s leadership.