Fort Sill Marine Artillery Detachment welcomes new commander

By Ben Sherman, Fort SillAugust 1, 2013

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1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Wayne Harrison receives the Marine Corps colors from Col. Douglas Thomas, outgoing commander of the Marine Corps Artillery Detachment (MARDET), as Sgt. Maj. Joe Thornton renders a salute. Harrison became the 25th commander of the MARDET Fort Sil... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Wayne Harrison, incoming commander of the Marine Corps Artillery Detachment (MARDET) at Fort Sill, speaks to a crowd of family members, guests and former detachment commanders as Marines stand at parade rest during the change of command ceremoni... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SILL, Okla. (Aug. 1, 2013) -- The Marine Corps Artillery Detachment at Fort Sill conducted a change of command ceremony July 25 on the Old Post Quadrangle here.

Col. Douglas Thomas relinquished command of the detachment to Col. Wayne Harrison before a crowd of former detachment commanders, family, friends, guests and military dignitaries. Harrison becomes the 25th commander of the Marine Artillery Detachment, or MARDET, as it is affectionately known.

Brig. Gen. John Simmons, Marine Corps Training Command commanding general at Quantico, Va., officiated the ceremony and spoke of the importance of the detachment at Fort Sill.

"This billet here with the MARDET is a very coveted billet. It is screened very heavily and you don't get out here to Fort Sill to command if you aren't one of the best, and Colonel Harrison is one of the best," Simmons said. "He's had a lot of operational experience and he's got the artillery credentials to come up here. He's been with the 14th Marines and commanded artillery battalions over in Iraq. So he definitely has the credentials."

Harrison shared his vision for the MARDET at Fort Sill by saying that he plans to maintain what Thomas has done.

"He had the recipe perfected and there's no reason to mess with success," Harrison stated. "I was a student at Fort Sill in 1990, going through what we called FACBOC (Field Artillery Cannon Basic Officer Course) as a lieutenant. Then I was back here for the Captains Career Course in 1995. So I'm very familiar with things here.

"Now I'm back here and it's an honor and privilege to assume command of the MARDET, and I am deeply humbled. I know I have a very good staff and a great sergeant major who will work with me. But more importantly, it's a chance for the Army and the Marines to continue the relationship of assisting each other to continue making artillery better," Harrison added.

Simmons also thanked Thomas for his two years of leadership as commander of the MARDET.

"He has been a Marine of honor and courage. He has served in every billet you can think of in artillery and has commanded at every rank," Simmons said. Thomas commanded Task Force Tarawa's 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade when it deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

"Thomas always displayed all the characteristics you want to see in a Marine and a leader. He's picked up his family and gone where the Marine Corps has told him to go," Simmons said.

Thomas relinquished command to Harrison by presenting him the Marine Corps colors as part of the ceremony on the OPQ. In doing so he welcomed Harrison aboard the MARDET.

"The Marine Corps Artillery community takes great pride in making sure we get the right people to Fort Sill to teach our young Marines -- our officers and enlisted folks," Thomas said. "By your reputation and credentials, I feel quite confident that I am turning the Marine detachment over to the right guy. Enjoy the ride."

Simmons closed by thanking Maj. Gen. Mark McDonald, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general for all of the support that Fort Sill provides to the MARDET.

"There's very much a shared history of artillery with the Army and the Marines here, and it goes a ways back. I was here over 30 years ago, and one thing that hasn't changed at Fort Sill is the attitude of support and cooperation. The community and entire area is very much pro-military and it's a welcoming attitude toward Soldiers and Marines," Simmons said. "Having the 77th Army Band, 'Costello's Own' bagpipers and the Field Artillery Half-Section participating in today's change of command brings that extra special Fort Sill flair to this ceremony."

Harrison comes to the Fort Sill MARDET from Marine Forces, Central Command where he has served as operations officer for the past two years. He has served at many levels in his 25-year career, including commanding the 1st Battalion, 14th Marines in Iraq's Al Anbar Province in 2005. In 2008 he assumed duties with the 2nd Battalion, 14th Marines, where he coordinated the unit's transition from the M198 towed howitzer to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). During this assignment he was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan to oversee implementation of the HIMARS in the Marine Corps area of operation.