SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. — The 513th Military Intelligence Brigade (MIB) held a change of command ceremony at Fort Gordon, Georgia June 29, welcoming new leadership.
Soldiers and families attended the change of command between outgoing commander, Col. Sapriya McLendon, and incoming commander, Col. Benjamin Hopper.
Maj. Gen. Rhett Cox, commanding general of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), presided over the ceremony.
"Under McLendon’s leadership and the brigade's execution, you made the Army proud, and I want to thank you," Cox said. "Growth comes from chaos, not from order, and navigating that chaos is exactly what the 513th is all about."
The 513th Military Intelligence Brigade’s mission is to provide tailored, multidisciplined intelligence and intelligence capabilities in support of U.S. Army Central (ARCENT) & Third Army, and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to defeat adversaries, promote regional stability, and protect U.S. interests.
During her speech, McLendon’s remarks reflected on the impact of ARCENT during her time in command, expressing her gratitude to her peers whose dedication kept the brigade postured for critical theater operations.
"To the ARCENT staff, and especially the ARCENT G-2 team, . . . I couldn't ask for better teammates," McLendon said. "You gave us the duty and trusted us to be the experts to develop a way to get the job done, and your leadership allowed us to learn and grow."
During the ceremony, Hopper thanked everyone in attendance and expressed his readiness to take on the challenges of commanding the 513th MIB.
"To the INSCOM and ARCENT command teams, thank you for being here and for your confidence in me," Hopper said. "The chance to command America's premier intelligence brigade is an extraordinary honor and a responsibility I do not take lightly."
Command Sgt. Maj. Eric McCray, the ARCENT senior enlisted advisor, attended the ceremony and highlighted the accomplishments and goals of the brigade.
"Under the leadership of Col. McLendon and Command Sgt. Maj. Katelyn Ventura, the 513th has answered every call from hurricanes, 12-day wars, [to] Operation Epic Fury," McCray said. "They deliver relevant and timely information to ARCENT and CENTCOM and provide [an] advantage to commands at the strategic level."
Known as the Vigilant Knights, the 513th MIB was activated in 1981. While INSCOM maintains administrative oversight of the brigade, the 513th MIB is one of ARCENT’s assigned formations with a focus solely on the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.