CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Lt. Col. Michael J. Murchison, outgoing commanding officer for 1st Supply Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, relinquished command to Maj. Michael Fitzgerald during a change-of-command ceremony at the 22 Area parade deck here, March 16.
Fitzgerald received his commissioning through the Platoon Leaders Course and spent two summers at Officer Candidate School in 1994 and 1995. He was assigned as an operations officer to the Fleet Support Division publications branch at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., upon completion of The Basic School and Supply Officer’s Course.
In March 2009, Fitzgerald deployed as the operations officer of 2nd Supply Battalion to Iraq. In 2010, Fitzgerald transferred to Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st MLG.
To the Marines of 1st Supply Bn., Fitzgerald quoted Lt. Cmdr. Ernest E. Evans, commanding officer of the USS Johnston (DD-557) during World War II.
“All orders and instructions remain enforced,” Fitzgerald said. “I will make changes when and where I deem necessary. Until then, carry on.”
Murchison is slated to become executive officer for the Retrograded, Redeployment, Reset and Reconstitute mission in Afghanistan. During the ceremony, Murchison took the time to thank friends, family and the Marines he worked closely with to accomplish the battalion’s missions during his time in command.
“To the Marines and sailors of 1st Supply Bn., you are awesome,” Murchison said. “Thank you for doing what you do. Thank you for putting your name on the bottom line and answering your nation’s call when she needed you the most during a time of war.”