Field support battalion welcomes new commander

By Rabia CoombsJune 14, 2018

Field Support Battalion changes command
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lieutenant Col. Crystal Hills, outgoing commander, Army Field Support Battalion--Africa, passes the battalion colors to Col. Rodney H. Honeycutt, commander, 405th Army Field Support Brigade, at a change of command ceremony June 1 at Leghorn Army Depo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Field support battalion changes command
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Field support battalion changes command
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

LIVORNO, Italy -- Lieutenant Col. Crystal Hills relinquished command of Army Field Support Battalion--Africa to Lt. Col. Michelle Agpalza during a change of command ceremony that took place at the Army Prepositioned Stock-2 warehouse at Leghorn Army Depot here June 1.

Colonel Rodney H. Honeycutt, commander, 405th Army Field Support Brigade, officiated the ceremony. Honeycutt acknowledged the accomplishments of the command under the leadership of Hills and the important role AFSBn-Africa continues to play throughout the African continent.

Among the distinguished leaders, logisticians, Italian allies, family members, friends and battalion personnel attending the ceremony was retired Col. Nilgun Nesbett, who was commander when Leghorn Army Depot was first designated as a battalion in 1994.

"This is a special change of command for me. I came here today especially to see the command of this battalion going from one woman to another," Nesbett said.

Under Hills' leadership, the battalion successfully fulfilled its mission of receiving, maintaining, storing and issuing Army prepositioned stock, linking national logistics capabilities and providing logistics solutions to Army units "South of the Alps," particularly the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and U.S. Army Africa, among other strategic partners.

Hills also played a key role in enabling the Defense Security Cooperation Agency Humanitarian Assistance Program to efficiently receive, store, maintain and ship critical humanitarian assistance stock to countries in need throughout the world.

"Our battalion has the best mission a logistician can ask for. We not only specialize in all three logistics functions -- supply, transportation and maintenance -- we also expertly support both strategic and operational missions, and not only is this support to the U.S. Army but also to the joint forces, and our allied and partner nations," Hills said.

The outgoing commander thanked her brigade command team for their faith and confidence in her leadership. Acknowledging the unique makeup of the battalion with a majority of civilian employees and a small percentage of military personnel, Hills thanked the workforce in both English and Italian for their dedication and hard work.

"All 'Victory Battalion' employees, please stand and be recognized with a round of applause for your relentless hard work," she said.

The incoming commander, Agpalza, thanked her predecessor for her hard work, focus and dedication to the battalion's mission.

"You have built and developed an outstanding team within the battalion, and I can't thank you enough for that," Agpalza said. The new commander also thanked Honeycutt, who will relinquish command June 19, for his guidance and vision for AFSBn-Africa.

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