The U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 346th Infantry Regiment, 177th Armored Brigade, welcomed a new commander, Lt. Col. Alan Roper, during a change of command ceremony on Spearhead Field, here, January 13.
"This type of Battalion is unique to the Army," said Roper. "You've got components of the Active Duty, the Active Guard Reserve, and our traditional Reservists, and we get to work together to train Reservists and National Guardsmen throughout the country."
Lt. Col. Roper is a 1997 Distinguished Military Graduate from the University of Central Arkansas. He and his family reside in Sharpsburg, Georgia where he oversees the transportation operations across the Southeastern U.S. for Universal Forest Products.
Lt. Col. Roper arrives to command the "Outlaw" Bn. after previously serving as the executive officer for 2nd Psychological Operations Group in Twinsburg, Ohio.
The former commander, Lt. Col. Loren Duwel, served at Camp Shelby for 18 months. During his tenure, Duwel lead the Soldiers from the Transportation Support Battalion in their role as Observer Coaches/Trainers assigned to First Army as well relocating 30 Soldiers to Fort Bliss to assist in mobilization operations for a year.
"With everybody coming back from Texas, I see the leadership, I see the morale and the camaraderie unlike it has ever been in my 20 months here," said Duwel. "It's a good time for the Battalion and it's going to get a lot better."
Lt. Col. Duwel transitions to the United States Army Reserve Sustainment Command where he will serve as the chief system acquisitions officer.
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