Incoming 12th Combat Aviation Brigade Commander Col. Robert Doerer addresses a multi-national crowd during the ceremony in which he accepted command of the brigade, at Katterbach Army Airfield in Ansbach, Germany, Jan. 9. Doerer was previously assign...

ANSBACH, Germany -- Col. Robert C. Doerer accepted command of U.S. Army Europe's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, known as the "Griffin Brigade," in a change of command ceremony at Katterbach Army Airfield here, Jan. 9.

Doerer assumed command from Col. Timothy J. Edens, who served as commander of 12th CAB for just more than three and a half years.

"Please know if you wore or wear the Griffin patch, or worked for U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach's medical clinics or dental clinics, outstanding aviation and ground maintenance contractor teams and all the civilian agencies on Katterbach and Storck Barracks, you were and are a part of the greatest unit and command I have had the privilege to be a member of," said Edens.

The 12th CAB, organized as Task Force XII, recently returned from a 15-month deployment in Iraq, where it served as the corps aviation brigade for Multi-National Corps - Iraq. Units assigned to the brigade worked in all six multi-national divisions in the Iraq theater.

"The spirit of teamwork and the feeling of family forged over my time here, highlighted while we were in Iraq, is something I am very proud of and for which I will always be thankful," said Edens.

For his service as commander, Edens was presented the Legion of Merit by USAREUR Commander Gen. Carter Ham.

Doerer comes to 12th CAB from the U.S. Army's Human Resources Command, where he served as branch chief for aviation officers. His career began in 1985 when he was commissioned an aviation officer upon graduation from the United States Military Academy.

"My goal, first and foremost, is to continue on where Col. Tim Edens has left off and to continue to support the unit, the Soldiers and the Families," said Doerer.

"We will continue on with the great tradition this command has upheld thus far to get ready for our next mission."