Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ -The reins of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 99th Regional Support Command (RSC) were handed to a new leader at a change-of-command ceremony held at the 99th RSC headquarters building June 26.
Family members, special guests and Soldiers welcomed the incoming commander, Maj. Kevin D. Branch, who accepted the colors from Maj. Gen. William Monk III, 99th RSC commanding general.
Outgoing commander Maj. Guy "Andy" Titsworth served 24 months as the HHC commander. Upon completion of his tour, he will serve as a logistics planner for Joint Force Headquarters, National Capital Region, Fort McNair, District of Columbia, as a civilian.
"Changes of command are seemingly simple acts but have huge significance," Monk explained. "It is the formal transfer of command authority, and most of all responsibility for you [Soldiers]."
"The Army only picks the best to command at all levels and that has not been truer by the qualities and performance of Maj. Andy Titsworth," he said. "To be the one responsible to ensure you all are properly trained and prepared as Soldiers and taken care of while at the same time working with the directors and each of the staff to make sure we perform our mission as an RSC is a tremendous challenge....It takes a special type of officer and Maj. Titsworth is that officer," Monk concluded.
Although new to the 99th RSC, Branch has an impressive Army resume.
Branch, a field artillery officer and native of Tennessee, comes to the 99th RSC after serving as the Battalion S3 officer for 458th Engineer Battalion (Modular), 411th Engineer Brigade, 412th Theatre Engineer Command.
His previous assignments include time in Korea as a company Fire Support Officer, Executive Officer, and Senior Platoon Leader as well as a tour at Fort Riley, Kan., where he served as the Battalion S1, Battalion S2, Battalion RSO and HHB Executive Officer.
After transitioning to the U.S. Army Reserve, he was assigned as the Commander, A/2-334 IN (BCT) in Granite City, Ill., before being selected to the AGR Program and assigned to the Army Human Resources Command, St. Louis, MO., where he served as Chief of Operations for the Individual Mobilization Augmentation Team, Plans Directorate, and as Assistant Operations Officer and Mobilization Operations Officer, Mobilization Operations Team, G3. He also deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he was the OIC of the Babel & Karbala Resident Engineer Offices, Engineer LNO to the U.S. State Department Babel & Karbala PRTs and Engineer LNO to 4th BCT, 3rd ID in Al Hillah, Iraq.
He was later attached to SOCCENT in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the J4 ENG, Combined Forces Special Operations Command Central (CFSOCC-FWD Afghanistan) and J7 ENG Master Planner, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan (3rd Special Forces Group), Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan where he was charged with facilitating the 2010 Afghanistan SOF expansion. Upon return from deployment, he returned to Johnstown, Pa. to serve as the S3, 458th EN BN.
His civilian education includes a BS in Physics from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Graduate Certificates in Engineering Mechanics and Military Construction Management from the University of Missouri at Rolla, a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla and a second MS in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Branch's awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the NATO (Article 5) Medal, the Valorous Unit Award, the Army Superior Unit Award, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold) and he is a member of the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara.
The 99th RSC provides administrative, logistical, facilities management and other base-operations support to all Army Reserve Soldiers, units and properties in the northeast region of the United States. More than 46,000 Soldiers, 400 Headquarters and 300 facilities are located in the 99th's 13-state area of responsibility that stretches from Maine to Virginia.
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