REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama (July 26, 2023) – Members of the 414th Contracting Support Brigade held a change of command ceremony July 21 at Vicenza, Italy.
Col. Isaac Torres assumed command from Col. Frankie Cruz in a ceremony officiated by Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler, the commanding general of Army Contracting Command, who lauded the achievements of the departing leader and set expectations for the new commander.
“I can’t be more proud of what Colonel Cruz and the 414th team has accomplished in the last three years,” Beeler said. "He has made the 414th an elite and indispensable contracting force. The partnerships that the people of the 414th have made with U.S. forces and partners throughout the U.S. Army Africa, U.S. Army Southern Task Force-Africa and U.S. Africa Command as well as U.S. Special Forces units represent a rock-solid team that is absolutely critical to the security of this important part of the world. Colonel Cruz was called upon to complete the difficult task of closing out the contracting mission in Afghanistan. As the last ACC-Afghanistan commander, he adeptly navigated the complexities of terminating a contracting support mission that had been going on for over 20 years.”
Torrres comes to the 414th CSB after serving as the executive officer to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. His deployments include two combat tours in Iraq and several operational deployments throughout the U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. European Command areas of operation.
“Colonel Torres is a highly respected leader who has done great things throughout his career and will add his special leadership style to the 414th CSB,” Beeler said. “His past assignments prepared him well to successfully navigate all the challenges of this command’s complex mission. His 15-month combat tour to Iraq from 2006-2007 was a defining challenge which forged his character and determination to lead American Soldiers successfully in combat. You have been entrusted with the time-honored responsibility of command, and I know you are up for the challenge.”
The Soldiers and Army civilians of the 414th CSB sustain the aligned support relationship with Southern European Task Force-Africa, U.S. Africa Command, the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Special Operations Command Africa, 405th Army Field Support Brigade, and the U.S. Army Garrison-Italy. Brigade members, along with its three regional contracting offices, stand ready to deploy globally with the joint force in order to provide premier operational contracting support to the warfighter.
About Army Contracting Command
The Army Contracting Command is headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. From food and clothing to bullets and bombs; from tanks and trucks to boats and aircraft; from Soldiers' weapons to the installations where they work and live with their families, ACC ensures Soldiers have what they need to be successful. As the Army's principal buying agent, ACC supports Army readiness and modernization by using best practices and expert-level oversight to provide warfighters with premier contracting support. The command accomplishes its global operational missions with a professional workforce of Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, foreign local nationals and contractors at more than 100 locations worldwide.
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