FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – The Brave Rifles (3CR) bid farewell to Col. Jeffrey Barta, outgoing regimental commander of the 3d Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, and welcomed incoming regimental commander, Col. William Chastain, with a change of command ceremony on Cooper Field, Fort Cavazos, Texas, June 5, 2025.
During his time in command of 3CR, Barta oversaw the regiment’s rotational deployment to the Republic of Korea, to deter North Korean aggression and ensure regional stability.
In his farewell speech, he first gave gratitude to the many leaders that have inspired him throughout his career, including Command Sgt. Maj. (retired) William Gainey, the former division command sergeant major of the 1st Cavalry Division, who later served as the first senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Barta then concluded with a heartfelt message to the Brave Rifles Regiment as a whole.
“The world remains a complex and dangerous place,” said Barta. “There are still evil forces that threaten peace and freedom again, but the unit standing before you has been a sentinel of freedom for 179 years since its inception.”
The incoming regimental commander, Col. Chastain, commissioned as an armor officer in 2001. First assigned as a tank platoon leader for 72nd Armor in the Republic of Korea, he later deployed to Iraq in 2005 and 2007 with 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment. He most recently served at the Headquarters Department of the Army Directorate of Training in the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Chastain spoke gratefully about the attendance of his family and friends, followed by shoutouts to units that positively influenced his leadership.
“I am honored to join the storied ranks of the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen,” said Chastain. “All policies and standard procedures remain in effect.”
Upon completion of the ceremony, Chastian assumed the role of regimental commander of the 3d Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He will lead over a thousand troopers to train cadets at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and will be putting a formation of Strykers in the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday parade on June 14, 2025, in Washington D.C.
Barta will go on to serve in the Pentagon, Washington D.C., continuing his career of leading and supporting the soldiers and families of the U.S. Army.
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