Crawford assumes command of CECOM

By Mrs. Pamela Leigh (CECOM)May 20, 2014

Crawford assumes command of CECOM
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Center) Brig. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford passes the colors to (right) Command Sgt. Major Kennis Dent, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command during his assumption of command ceremony held May 20 at the C4ISR Center of Excellence Campus on Aberdeen... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Crawford assumes command of CECOM
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Front row left) Brig. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford, commanding general, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), thanks (front row right) Gary P. Martin, CECOM deputy, for his interim role as acting director of CECOM and his unwavering suppor... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Crawford assumes command of CECOM
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Center) Brig. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford, commanding general, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, acknowledges the love and support of his family who attended his assumption of command ceremony held May 20 at the C4ISR Center of Excellence Cam... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Crawford assumes command of CECOM
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – New commander of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, Brig. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford, Gen. Dennis L. Via, commanding general Army Materiel Command, CECOM Command Sgt. Major Kennis Dent and audience members stand at attention during the ca... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Crawford assumes command of CECOM
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Front row left) Brig. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford, commanding general, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), stands alongside (front row right) CECOM Command Sgt. Maj. Kennis Dent at parade rest, during his assumption of command ceremony ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) hosted an assumption of command ceremony on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at the C4ISR Center of Excellence Campus on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

The ceremony formalized Brig. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford as the 14th CECOM commanding general. CECOM, a major subordinate command of U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), has been without a commander since December 2013 when then-Maj. Gen. Robert S. Ferrell was nominated to his third star and became the CIO/G-6 of the Army.

AMC Commanding General, Gen. Dennis L. Via presided over the ceremony and welcomed Crawford to the AMC family. Crawford previously served as the J6, director of C4/Cyber and chief information officer, U.S. European Command. Prior to that, he served as the commanding general of 5th Theater Signal Command, and G6, United States Army Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany.

The ceremony was accompanied by the U.S. Army Field Band's Wind Ensemble from Fort Meade, Md., and included the traditional passing of the command colors from Via to Crawford. Both generals greeted the more than 400 Soldiers, dignitaries, employees, and assembled guests in attendance and offered their thanks for their warm reception to the post.

After formally thanking Deputy to the Commanding General, Gary P. Martin for his interim role as acting director, Via shared his confidence in Crawford's future command success. He offered his support and assistance to ensure CECOM's continued success in delivering and sustaining Army communications and electronics capabilities.

"Brig. Gen. Crawford knows communications, he knows the warfighter and he is well respected within the Army's Signal community and the Joint C4 (command, control, communications, computers) community," said Via. "He knows how to lead large, complex global organizations and he knows how to take care of Soldiers and civilians in the process. The men and women of CECOM are very fortunate to have Brig. Gen. Crawford take the reins of this great command today."

Crawford, a Columbia, S.C. native, said he considers CECOM one of the "Army's crown jewels" and "one of the Army's most historic, most innovative and most strategically promising military communities." To the 13,000 men and women in his new command, he offered his leadership philosophy:

"When it comes to leadership, I'm a firm believer that there is no replacement for a steady hand, a silent tongue and a tentative ear; especially during times of crisis or evolutionary change," he said.

As CECOM commander, Crawford now leads a worldwide organization that serves as the critical link for the global readiness of complex, networked Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems and capabilities that provide the joint forces with the advanced information and technology they need to achieve dominance on today's battlefield.

During his 28 years of service, Crawford has served in a variety of leadership positions at tactical, operational and strategic levels to prepare him for this new role. He received his commission as a Signal Corps officer May 28, 1986, after graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at South Carolina State University. He holds a Master of Science degree in Administration from Central Michigan University and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

In his assumption of command address, Crawford asked two things of his new workforce: "Never take for granted what an honor and privilege it is to serve. Know that your Nation adores you because of who you are and because of what you stand for. And always remember that you are the absolute foundation on which we stand, in this great profession… 'the profession of arms.'"