FORT SILL, OK — The Fort Sill Polo Field was filled with pageantry and ceremony on July 11, 2024, as the 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade held its change of command ceremony.
Soldiers marched in formation, colorful flags billowed in the warm breezes, and the band played as commanders trooped the line.
Maj. Gen. Phil Brooks, commanding general of the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill, hosted the ceremony where Col. Anthony Dedmond, outgoing commander of the 30th ADA Brigade, handed over the guidon to Col. John Brock II, the incoming commander.
Among the attendees were Lawton Mayor Stan Booker, the 77th Army Band, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery, Fort Sill's Salute Battery, the Artillery Half Section and the Mule Team, and the Color Guard.
“Thirtieth ADA is the heart of the branch,” Brooks said during his remarks. “With these fine examples of professionals, you turn Soldiers into Air Defenders for our nation every single day. The drill sergeants’ cadre and support staff of the Arrow Brigade train our Air Defenders and develop our seasoned veterans through their advanced individual training, basic officer leadership training, professional development, and functional courses.”
Brooks emphasized the brigade's crucial role in national defense, stating that the Air Defense Artillery is designed to "equip our future, keep our skies clear, our infrastructure intact, and Soldiers, Marines, and Sailors of our joint combined forces safe."
He highlighted the brigade's recent international engagements, noting a surge of international partner training and an equipment transfer to support ongoing operations, including the training of approximately 100 to 200 Ukrainian Soldiers and Airmen on the Patriot Weapons System.
Addressing the incoming commander, Brooks said, “I charge you to take care of your Soldiers, your civilians, and your family members under your care. Lead by example and provide the Army with the finest Soldiers this country can produce. I have complete faith in you.”
Dedmond expressed his gratitude to the leaders who allowed him to command at various levels, describing the experience as “truly humbling.”
“The Soldiers before you are a fraction of the representation of the heart of the branch. We train all comers, all cohorts, all classes, all components, all medical specialties from neurosurgeons to veterinarians. We train 50-year-old systems like the Patriot all the way to five-year-old systems recently named Charge of Staff,” Dedmond said.
He praised the dedication of the officers, NCOs, junior Soldiers, civilians, and their families, stating, “The formation that stands before us on the Polo Field today represents a group of professionals that can be trusted with any mission. That can be trusted with American sons and daughters. The fact that I’ve had the opportunity to lead these superstars for the past five years is mind-boggling. It’s more than I could ask for.”
The ceremony marked a significant transition for the 30th ADA Brigade, as it continues its mission of training and preparing Air Defenders for the challenges ahead.
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