Lt. Col. Peter E. Dargle assumed command of Fort A.P. Hill from Lt. Col. Jack Haefner at a change of command ceremony June 18 at Fort A. P. Hill.
Brig. Gen. (P) John Uberti, Installation Management Command deputy commanding general for support, hosted the ceremony at Beaverdam Parade Field, where more than 200 family members, friends, community leaders and employees gathered under two large tents.
Fort A.P. Hill is a Regional Collective Training Center where over 90,000 Warriors honed their combat edge in 2010 and 2011--a 30 percent increase in throughput over the past decade. Uberti listed the increase in training throughput as one of the many accomplishments under Haefner's command.
"As you depart Fort A.P. Hill, you can look back with pride," Uberti, who presented Haefner the Meritorious Service Medal prior to the Change of Command, said. "Thank you for making Fort A.P. Hill a better installation."
Haefner, who assumed command of Fort A.P. Hill June 19, 2009, referred to the post as a "little patch of heaven."
"I wish the very best to the Dargle family," Haefner said. "You have just entered a new family."
Dargle congratulated Haefner on a "job well-done."
"Fort A.P. Hill is uniquely postured to answer that call to accomplish our mission--providing the best training anywhere," Dargle said, adding two words will serve as the mission of the post--"build" and "believe."
Dargle, a native of New York, has served in various command and staff billets. He's deployed twice to Kuwait, served three combat tours in Iraq and completed three operational mission deployments to Afghanistan.
Prior to assuming command at Fort A.P. Hill, Dargle was the lead planner for U.S. Central Command's primary battle staff training exercise to prepare the staff for rapid transition from steady-state operations to crisis operations.
He is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic and Advance Courses, Combined Arms and Service Staff School and the Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He has a master's degree from Kansas State University.
His awards and commendations include a Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Action Badge and Parachute Badge.
Dargle is married to the former Jean Martin, and has four children, Morgan, Bryce, Heidi, and Peyton.
Uberti said Dargle has a great understanding of the challenges of the joint warfighting force, adding, "You're the right man to carry on traditions of excellence here at Fort A.P. Hill."
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