WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii — Hawaiian sunlight poured into the Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, hangar as the Soldiers of 2-25 AVN stood in formation in front of a crowd of family, friends and guests during the battalion’s change of command ceremony, June 10, 2025.

Lt. Col. Chris Lossing, the outgoing 2-25 AVN commanding officer, scanned his Soldiers’ faces before addressing the crowd.

“Nearly 62 years ago, the Army activated Diamond Head, and it soon deployed it to Vietnam, where it participated in 12 campaigns,” said Lossing. “Over the course of the next six years, the unit earned the Presidential Unit Citation, two Valorous Unit Citations, two Meritorious Unit Citations, and three Republic of Vietnam Unit Citations. Diamond Head clearly earned its motto of flying for the troops.”

Lossing pointed to the Soldiers in formation emphatically.

“The Soldiers standing before us today live and breathe that motto,” Lossing continued. “They selflessly execute precision rotary-wing assault operations to enable the 25th Infantry Division to close with and destroy the enemy. For the last two years, Diamond Head has led the brigade in flying hour execution under night vision goggles and safely supported hundreds of air mission requests in Hawaii, Indonesia, and the Philippines.”

Col. Matthew Scher, the 25th CAB commanding officer, stood proudly in front of the crowd and smiled.

“The Diamond Head team truly understands why we in the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade exist, and why we do everything that we do,” said Scher. “Whether their blades are spinning overhead at zero dark thirty executing a long range maritime air assault to dusty landing zones in the middle of the Luzon Strait, or they are kicking out speedballs with life-saving medical gear, potable water and MRE’s into the triple canopy jungles in the Philippines, or like this past weekend, flying buckets of hundreds of gallons of water over and over and over again to keep a fire from spreading across Oahu, this Diamond Head team is proving that day-in and day-out they fly for the troops.”

Lossing reflected on the accomplishments of his Soldiers during his command.

“Their efforts have contributed to reinforcing strategic relationships across the Indo-Pacific,” said Lossing. “I’m proud to have stood amongst these Soldiers who have continued the Army aviation tradition of exceptional customer support. Diamond Head, thank you for your sacrifice and commitment to the defense of our great Nation.”

Lossing handed the Diamond Head colors to Lt. Col. Thomas Dolce, the incoming 2-25 AVN commanding officer, who addressed his Soldiers for the first time as their leader.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am today to be in the Army’s finest air assault formation,” Dolce said. “I am truly honored to be entrusted with this opportunity to lead these elite warriors.”