1st Brigade Combat Team Welcomes New Brigade Commander

By Pfc. Vincent LevelevJanuary 14, 2021

Commanding Officers of the 82nd Airborne Division participate in the ceremonial passing of the unit colors at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. U.S. Army Col. Theodore Kleisner is the incoming brigade commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev)
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Commanding Officers of the 82nd Airborne Division participate in the ceremonial passing of the unit colors at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. U.S. Army Col. Theodore Kleisner is the incoming brigade commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Vincent Levelev) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue presents awards to Col. Andrew Saslav and Jill Saslav for their contributions to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division during a change of command ceremony at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. Saslav is the outgoing brigade commander of 1st BCT. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev)
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue presents awards to Col. Andrew Saslav and Jill Saslav for their contributions to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division during a change of command ceremony at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. Saslav is the outgoing brigade commander of 1st BCT. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Vincent Levelev) VIEW ORIGINAL
Jill Saslav, the outgoing 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division commander's wife, delivers a speech at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. Saslav reflected on her time with the 'Devil Brigade' family and community in her farewell speech. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev.)
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Jill Saslav, the outgoing 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division commander's wife, delivers a speech at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. Saslav reflected on her time with the 'Devil Brigade' family and community in her farewell speech. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev.) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Vincent Levelev) VIEW ORIGINAL
Commanding Officers of the 82nd Airborne Division participate in the ceremonial passing of the unit colors at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. U.S. Army Col. Theodore Kleisner is the incoming brigade commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev)
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Commanding Officers of the 82nd Airborne Division participate in the ceremonial passing of the unit colors at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, N.C., Jan. 11, 2021. U.S. Army Col. Theodore Kleisner is the incoming brigade commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Vincent Levelev) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Vincent Levelev) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BRAGG, NC- Paratroopers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division welcomed their new commander Col. Theodore W. Kleisner during a change of command ceremony at the Hall of Heroes on Fort Bragg, NC, Jan. 11, 2021. Kleisner relieved Col. Andrew O. Saslav as the brigade commander.

Kleisner, a Savannah, Georgia native and United States Military Academy at West Point graduate, previously served as the commander of the United States European Command Levant Future Operations Planning Branch. Kleisner is a father of three and married to Susan Kleisner.

“To assume command of 1st Brigade is an awesome mandate that I humbly accept, and I accept with excitement,” said Kleisner.

Saslav, the outgoing brigade commander, is a native of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey and a graduate of George Washington University. Saslav, prior to serving as the commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, served as an operations officer in the 4th Infantry Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. During his tenure as brigade commander, Saslav led the ‘Devil Brigade’ during their historic no-notice deployment to the Central Command theater of operations, marking the first combat deployment of the Immediate Response Force in 30 years.

“Commanding the ‘Devils in Baggy Pants’ has been the honor of my professional life,” said Saslav during his farewell speech. “It is very simply the most rewarding and humbling thing the Army has ever passed upon me.”

Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of the 82nd Abn. Div., expressed his gratitude for Saslav’s and Kleisner’s leadership in the division, and his excitement for the incoming brigade commander.

“Today we recognize two incredible leaders,” said Donahue. “We look forward to Kleisner taking this brigade to the next level.”