JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON— The Alaska Army National Guard’s 38th Troop Command welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, August 7.

Col. Joseph Streff, commander of the Alaska Army National Guard, presided over the ceremony where Lt. Col. Wayne Don took command of the unit.

“I am tremendously honored to be a part of the 38th Troop Command and to serve with such disciplined, professional and committed Soldiers,” Don said. “I feel personally privileged to be part of a great team.”

Don has served more than 22 years in the Army, nine of which were with the Alaska Army National Guard. He has served in a number of command and staff assignments, most recently as commander of the 103rd Civil Support Team, where he led a multi-component unit of Army and Air Guard chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialists. Don also deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom where he served as a staff officer in support of Mongolian Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

The change of command ceremony is a formal event that is rich with tradition and heritage. The key to the change of command is the passing of the colors from the outgoing commander to the incoming commander, which represent the organization’s history and the loyalty of its Soldiers. The colors are the commander’s symbol of authority and also represent commitment and responsibility to the unit.

“In the business of command, there is an old adage that you should leave the unit in better shape than you found it, and Colonel Roach has definitely done this and I wish him the best in his new assignment,” said Don. “The future is bright for 38th Troop Command in terms of challenging missions, training and other opportunities to provide real world support and assistance to all our state and federal partners, and I look forward to serving alongside our Soldiers.”[xyz-ihs snippet=”adsense-body-ad”]

Col. Jeffrey Roach, commander of 38th Troop Command since 2012, has served more than 30 years in the Alaska Army National Guard and looks forward to his next assignment as director of logistics for the joint staff.

“The Soldiers of the 38th Troop Command have a solid foundation to build upon, they have remarkable teammates that want to excel and they are getting an outstanding leader in Lt. Col. Wayne Don,” said Roach. “There is no limit to what this unit can accomplish with everyone working together and moving in the same direction.”

Source: Alaska Army National Guard[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adversal-468×60″]

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