Milwaukee Recruiting Battalion Welcomes New Commander

MILWAUKEE - Lt. Col. Robert L. Cody II assumed command of the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Milwaukee from the outgoing commander Lt. Col. Daniel C. Miller during a change of command ceremony Friday, July 17, at the Milwaukee County War Memorial.

Col. James T. Iacocca, 3rd Recruiting Brigade commander, presided over the ceremony. He noted how the battalion seamlessly transitioned into team recruiting while improving standards under Miller's leadership.

"More importantly, (Miller) and his team have taken exceptional care of the Soldiers, civilians and families of not only this battalion but all of recruiting command," Iacocca said. "Under his leadership the Milwaukee staff has created, implemented and shared a comprehensive program to care for Soldiers returning from deployment with post traumatic stress issues. This program has been so well crafted that Center One at Fort Jackson, S.C., is in the process of bringing this online for the entire command."

Iacocca welcomed Cody and his family to the 3rd Recruiting Brigade.

"In the short time we have spent together I am impressed with (Cody's) energy and optimism, and I look forward to working together," Iacocca said.

Miller also welcomed the new battalion commander and advised him to "enjoy the next two years in command because they will fly by."

Cody said he recognized the rich history of the "Wolfpack" battalion and that the key to its success are the officers, noncommissioned officers and civilians who run the unit.

"With your (the battalion's personnel) skills and broad experience, we will meet the mission and then some," Cody said.

Cody graduated from Fort Valley State University, Ga., with a bachelor's degree in economics and was commissioned in 1990 as a second lieutenant in the infantry. He's been assigned to 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he deployed to numerous countries in support of ongoing operations; and to the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School where he served as the chief resource strategy officer. In his last assignment, Cody served as chief war plans "operations" for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

The U.S. Army Milwaukee Recruiting Battalion consists of a battalion headquarters, located in Milwaukee, four Wisconsin-based companies located in Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton and Fort McCoy; one Michigan-based company in Iron Mountain; and one Illinois-based company located in Loves Park. The battalion supports 45 recruiting stations and more than 235 recruiters. It covers an area of 79,708 square miles with 607 high schools and 85 colleges.

The Milwaukee Recruiting Battalion motto is "Wolfpack on the Attack." Milwaukee Battalion recruiters enlist men and women into the Army and Army Reserve. They prospect for enlistees in area high schools, colleges, job fairs, state and county fairs, and the general population throughout Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and northwest Illinois.