JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (July 8, 2020) -- Members of the 922nd Contracting Battalion and Mission and Installation Contracting Command at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, welcomed a new leader during a change-of-command ceremony July 2.
Lt. Col. Eric Banks assumed command of the battalion from Lt. Col. Tony Rogers in a ceremony officiated virtually by Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler, the MICC commanding general, from Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Banks comes to the 922nd CBN from the U.S. Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisition at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, where he served as the service acquisition manager for the specialized transportation and support division responsible for develop contracting solutions in support of the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command global transportation mission.
Beeler charged Banks with providing Army commands and the MICC’s mission partners with disciplined and responsive contracting solutions and oversight.
“It is your task to lead and guide this exceptional organization to accomplish its vital contracting mission and forge strategic alliances with our mission partners,” Beeler said. “You have an immense responsibility to the deployable forces … (and) administration of an annual contract portfolio of $95 million that supports Fort Campbell mission partners and warfighter readiness through acquisition solutions in training, exercises and deployments aligned to the 101st Airborne Division.”
Banks was commissioned as an Army Ordnance Officer through the ROTC in 2000 after earning a Bachelor of Administration in accounting from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. He has filled a number of positions of increasing responsibility including two operational assignments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His acquisition assignments include contracting team leader at Fort Drum, New York; administrative flight team chief at Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan; executive officer to the Expeditionary Contracting Command commanding general at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama; and contracting team for the Army Contracting Command Regional Contracting Office-Baghdad, Iraq. Banks is Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level II certified in contracting and Level I certified in program management.
“I am humbled today to assume command of the 922nd Contracting Battalion,” Banks said, also taking time to thank those who have served as a coach, teacher or mentor over the course of his career. “To the Soldiers and civilians of MICC-Campbell and the 922nd Contracting Battalion, I’m honored and privileged to become a member of this organization. You have consistently answered the call of duty in executing your mission efficiently, effectively and professionally. I look forward to continuing this tradition of excellence well into the future.”
Rogers expressed his gratitude to Beeler, former MICC commanding general, Brig. Gen. Bill Boruff, and the 419th Contracting Support Brigade commander, Col. Brad Hodge, for having entrusted him with the honor to command the 922nd CBN and providing the leadership and recourses necessary to support the readiness efforts of battalion’s mission partners.
“The goal of the battalion has always been to represent the brigade and MICC to the highest caliber for our mission partners,” Rogers said. “As I look back over the last 33 months here, I’m pleased with our efforts and proud of the accomplishments of our teams and individuals.”
In addition to installation contracting support, those accomplishments included the deployment of the battalion headquarters to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel; training and deploying four contracting teams in support of missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Qatar; and deploying individuals in response to Hurricanes Maria and Dorian.
“It goes without saying that these achievements were made by the individuals and the collective team. The people made it happen,” Rogers added. “A total team effort by the Soldiers and civilians of MICC-Fort Campbell.”
Prior to the change of command, Rogers was presented a Meritorious Service Medal for his achievements in leading the 922nd CBN. He departs Fort Campbell to attend the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, for further military development and preparation for assignments at the strategic level.
The tradition of changes of command is rooted in military history dating back to the 18th century when organizational flags with colors and symbols unique to each unit were developed. During a change of command conducted in front of the unit, the organizational flag was passed to the individual assuming command to which Soldiers of the unit would dedicate their loyalty and trust. Today, a unit’s colors also represents its heritage and history. Adapted to comply with current COVID-19 limitations, the traditional passing of the colors were modified to the posting of colors by Master Sgt. Darlene Riley, who serves as the battalion’s senior enlisted adviser. A render of salute to the colors by Rogers served to relinquish command while an ensuing salute by Banks signaled his assumption of battalion responsibility and authority.
The 922nd CBN is made up of five contracting teams including the 621st Contracting Team, 648th CT, 708th CT, 741st CT and 742nd CT. The battalion is responsible for expeditionary and operational contracting support for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) as well as acquisition support for the Fort Campbell Garrison and other installation mission partners.
About the MICC:
Headquartered at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.
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