Published: Apr. Dirige assumed command from Lt. Col. Rickey Torres in the ceremony officiated by Brig. Eldridge, Commander, 1st Brigade Combat Team, Wednesday, April 28, due to a loss in trust in his ability to command after an investigation stemming from allegations of misconduct. Lt. Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, spokesman for the 10th Mountain Division, declined to comment further Thursday, saying no additional information would be released. Meredith took command of 1st Brigade in May 2021 while the unit was deployed to Poland. FORT DRUM, N.Y. (WWNY) - The leader of the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team has been relieved of command. Joseph Knoch Photo: Facebook/1BCT 10th Mountain. Lowrey next welcomed Dirige and her family to the command and commended her as an incredible leader who will continue to provide unparalleled contracting support to Fort Drum mission partners through exceptional business strategies and acquisition vehicles. Welcome to Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), located in northern New York's picturesque North Country! You have permission to edit this article. Gen. Doug Lowrey, commanding general for the MICC at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. "We have full confidence in our Soldiers who are trained and ready to meet any mission. We hold our leaders accountable for their actions.. The report also found that Army CID special agents at the post were under-experienced and over-assigned an issue that career special agents told Army Times was not unique to Fort Hood. Years Later, Some Are Saddled With Debt. All Rights Reserved. She did not return a request for comment. The battalion commander overseeing Ranger Schools Mountain Phase at Camp Frank D. Merrill, Georgia, was relieved Nov. 20 after an investigation substantiated complaints that he made derogatory comments to subordinates, according to Army officials. Commander of Fort Drum combat unit fired over alleged misconduct Lowrey praised Torres for his leadership and care for his unit during his tenure. Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe, who leads the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, relieved the 5th Ranger Training Battalion commander "due to his inability to uphold professional . Eldridge, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team at Fort Drum, New York, following an investigation stemming from allegations of misconduct. Published: Apr. Forces Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Spc. You have provided outstanding service to our Soldiers, mission partners, and family members. Under Rickeys leadership, the battalion successfully delivered outstanding support to 10th Mountain Division, Installation Management Command-Fort Drum, and 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division located at Fort Polk, Louisiana, Lowrey said. Shortly after returning to Fort Drum, the task force deployed to Somalia, Africa, where Soldiers participated in humanitarian relief and combat operations in support of Operations Restore Hope and Continue Hope from December 1992 to March 1994. To reprint or license this article or any content from Military.com, please submit your request, Fort Drum Commander Fired over Alleged Misconduct, Erdogan Says Turkish Forces Killed IS Chief in Syria, Biden, Marcos Set to Meet as Tensions Grow With China. She recently introduced the Military Justice Improvement Act with bi-partisan support. During the ceremony, Dirige said her preparation to take command of the 925th CBN began when she was Torres executive officer at the 925th CBN. Commander of Ranger training battalion relieved over 'derogatory comments' IMCOM is not responsible for the content of links outside of home.army.mil. The battalion has the Brigade Combat Team 's engineer companies, military intelligence company, and signal company. Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Start your digital-only membership today and not only receive full access to our premier news website NNY360.com but also to the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times eEdition! He stepped in after the previous commander, Col. Michael Schoenfeldt, was removed for bullying staff. Read Next: These Soldiers Say Mold in Barracks Isn't Just Disgusting, It's Making Them Sick, "We have no information on that matter that we can share at this time," Sgt. A high-ranking officer in the Army's 10th Mountain Division was relieved from duty following an investigation in allegations of misconduct. The installation is in the middle of one of the most historically unique and geographically beautiful areas of the United States. Copyright 2021 WWNY. A high-ranking officer in the Army's 10th Mountain Division was relieved from duty following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. From the summer of 2001 through the spring of 2002, the Warrior Brigade had personnel deployed in support of military operations in six countries: Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the United States. It is unclear whether the investigation is ongoing, but it comes while another is underway into allegations of toxic leadership by the brigade's commander. 29 Apr 2021. $2.99 Dirige returns to the 925th CBN after serving as the chief of the G-4 Acquisitions and Contract Services Branch with the U.S. Army Futures Command-Futures and Concepts Center at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Brig. Before that she was a reporter for Killeen Daily Herald and a freelance journalist for publications including The Alcalde, Texas Highways and the Austin American-Statesman. Army Col. Ann Meredith has been fired from her position as 89th Military Police Brigade commander. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. Apr 29, 2021 A high-ranking officer in the Army's 10th Mountain Division was relieved from duty following an investigation in allegations of misconduct. = Link to a nongovernmental site. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Fort Hood report determined that there was an environment at Fort Hood that allowed sexual assault and harassment to proliferate, triggering the relief and suspension of 14 leaders, including the posts acting commander. FORT HOOD, Texas (KWTX) - Col. Michael Schoenfeldt was relieved of duties as commander of Fort Hood's 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team effective Thursday . Years Later, Some Are Saddled With Debt. Outgoing commander, Cpt. The Pentagon emails provide a new glimpse into the behind-the-scenes communiques leading up to the response to the unrest. person will not be tolerated. We hold our leaders accountable for their actions, Maj. Gen. Mennes said. Torres departed to serve as the military deputy at MICC-Fort Knox, Kentucky. Eldridge in 2016 during a change of command ceremony at Fort Drum. He has commanded soldiers at every level from small units up to brigade, and he has extensive staff experience to include the Joint Staff, the Army Staff, and U.S. Mennes said . She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. or anything. The cases are not related, and the reliefs were based on two separate investigations. | Army Organic Industrial Base Modernization Implementation Plan, Doug Bush sworn in as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, U.S. Army launches latest prize competition, xTechRCCTO AStRA, to prototype and field cutting edge technology innovations for the Warfighter, Army announces upcoming 10th Mountain Division Headquarters unit rotation, Fort Drum and 10th Mountain Division Flickr, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Baltimore District. Keep it Clean. 1st BCT leader relieved of command at Fort Drum : r/army - Reddit The exact details of the misconduct were not disclosed by official representatives, but a statement from the Fort Drum public affairs office stated that the commander, of 1st Brigade Combat Team was relieved on Wednesday due to a loss in trust in his ability to command.. The Chosin began operations as the supporting security force in Garoua, Cameroon, and as the East Africa Response Force in Djibouti and Somalia (as part of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa). Lt. Col. Desiree Dirige assumed command from Torres in the ceremony officiated by Lowrey, commanding general for the Mission and Installation Contracting Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. (U.S. Army). Chance of rain 60%. Low around 40F. North County Public Radio - NPR for the Adirondack North Country. Maj. Gen. Gregory K. Anderson. To get local food on kids' lunch trays, schools must plan with farmers now, Hochul announces conceptual agreement on weeks-late state budget, This Weekend in the Adirondacks: Last of April, A Pentagon-appointed committee says easy access to guns on military bases leads to more suicides, Malone hospital applies to change federal designation, up reimbursement, It's time to start looking for the invasive spotted lanternfly in New York, Community Advisory Board (NCPR Executive Council). The sign on Route 11 northbound, welcoming people to the main entrance to Fort Drum. She was later commissioned as a second lieutenant in 2002 through the Army ROTC Early Commissioning Program at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. We'd love to hear eyewitness 1st BCT leader relieved of command at Fort Drum - WWNY-TV Fort Hood officer relieved of duty for bullying subordinates 7th Engineer Battalion (United States) - Wikipedia The brigade supported operations in the Balkans beginning in October 1997 and continued to do so through 2002 with varying missions. Eldridge, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team at Fort Drum, New York, following an investigation stemming from allegations of misconduct. In the military justice system, the term misconduct covers a broad range of infractions and could refer to anything from creating a toxic work environment to sexual misconduct. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. In a written statement, Mennes said that he made the decision to remove Eldridge from his position due to a loss of trust in Eldriges ability to command, following the results of the misconduct investigation. Col. Jon Meredith was fired "due to a loss of confidence in his judgement. The Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division is a combat aviation brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York.It is a subordinate unit of the 10th Mountain Division.. April 8 (UPI) -- A brigade commander based at Texas' Fort Hood was relieved of duty after an investigation found he bullied subordinates, according to the Army. Army looking for restaurant industry partners to take over dining Fort Drum: 1st BCT colonel relieved of command following misconduct After briefly returning to Fort Drum, the brigade again deployed to Iraq for a 15-month tour in Kirkuk. Gen. Doug Lowrey highlights the accomplishments by Lt. Col. Rickey Torres while in command of the 925th Contracting Battalion and Mission and Installation Contracting Command at Fort Drum, New York, during a change of command ceremony June 30. 29, 2021 at 7:02 AM PDT. Troops from the 10th Mountain Division came under scrutiny in February when a video of surfaced showing live-fire training being conducted in an unsafe manner. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. In January 2000, the brigade began participating in the Army's Joint Contingency Force Advanced Warfighting Experiment. Rose L. Thayer is based in Austin, Texas, and she has been covering the western region of the continental U.S. for Stars and Stripes since 2018. Disabled Veterans Sign up for a Career Change. The unit is widely-refered to as the Army's "most-deployed.". Formed as the 10th Mountain Division's original headquarters company, 1stBrigade traces its lineage to the division's fight through Italy during World War II. A new study examines the crisis, Glens Falls newest attraction "Muralgarten" in the works, Massena police suspect body found along Grasse River was an unhoused person, This woman's dedicated her life to fighting black flies. The Armys number one priority is our people, Donahoes statement reads. Maj. Gen. Gregory K. Anderson 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum Commander. Promotional Rates were found for your code. The bill would restrict the wide authority currently given to unit commanders in military judicial proceedings. Sullivan is seemingly still in command, though commanders are sometimes suspended amid investigations. Periods of rain. His wife, Col. Ann Meredith, is the commander of Fort Hoods 89th Military Police Brigade and is not under investigation, Marotto said. People First means taking care of our Soldiers, making sure they feel valued and supported by their teammates, leadership and community and always treating others with dignity and respect.. U.S. ARMY INSTALLATION MANAGEMENT COMMAND, "We Are the Army's Home - Mennes met with 1st Brigade Combat Team leaders this week to update them on the relief and the transition of command, the release stated. Be Nice. New details emerge about Col. Chung, the suspended commander of 5th SFAB Maj. Gen. John Richardson, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, removed Col. Jon Meredith as commander of the divisions 1st Brigade Combat Team and Col. Anthony Wilson as commander of the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade, said Col. Wayne Marotto, spokesman for Fort Hood. 3rdBattalion, 6thField Artillery Regiment. 1st BCT leader relieved of command at Fort Drum, Lewis County Sheriffs Office concludes search for missing Constableville woman, Troopers make interesting find while cleaning highway, Watch Watertown city council meeting live tonight, Pay rise comes for New Yorkers, but some chafe at compromise. that is degrading to another person. FORT DRUM, N.Y. (July 23, 2021) -- Col. James J. Zacchino Jr. assumed command of the Fort Drum garrison from outgoing commander Col. Jeffery Lucas during a ceremony July 23 outside LeRay Mansion . At the time, Meredith pledged to move forward and forge something new.. Lt. Col. Dwight F. Towler, who commands the 10th Brigade Support Battalion for the 1st BCT, is assuming temporary command. The 1st Brigade Combat Team is the command and control headquarters for Task Force Warrior, consisting of seven battalions: 1stBattalion, 32ndInfantry Regiment; 1stBattalion, 87thInfantry Regiment; 2ndBattalion, 22ndInfantry Regiment; 3rdSquadron, 71stCavalry Regiment; 3rdBattalion, 6thField Artillery Regiment; 7th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 10th, Installation Housing Plain Language Briefing, Fort Drum Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), PFAS Preliminary Assessment / Site Inspection Final Report, 10th Mountain Division & Fort Drum Museum, Family and Morale, Welfare & Recreation Programs, 10th Mountain Division Equal Opportunity Office, 10th Mountain Division Light Fighters School, 925th Contracting Battalion / Mission and Installation Contracting Command Fort Drum, Army Field Support Battalion - Drum (AFSBn-Drum), Northeast Regional Network Enterprise Center (NEC), U.S. Army Medical Department Activity (MEDDAC), Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy & Environment. Several hundred soldiers from the light infantry division, including troops assigned to 1st Brigade, returned from a deployment to Afghanistan in December of 2020. Soldiers of 1-71 Cavalry deployed to the southern province of Kandahar, while the remainder of the brigade deployed to Regional Command North. Task Force Summit awarded three Bronze Star Medals with V device for valor and two Army Commendation Medals with V device for Soldiers heroic actions under fire against the Taliban. In a release, Fort Drum officials say commanding general Maj. Gen. Brian Mennes relieved Col. J.T. Read Next: Army Eyes Autonomous Robotic Arm to Rapidly Resupply its Futuristic Long-Range Howitzer. The 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, earned two campaign streamers during World War II and two campaign streamers in the war on terrorism for a total of four campaign streamers and two unit decorations in its operational history. Military.com | By Matthew Cox. Fort Drum is located approximately 30 miles from Canada, with the Great Lakes to the west, the Adirondack Mountains to the . Thank you for taking care of our Soldiers and Army civilians under your command, and for giving the 925th, the MICC and the Army your best., More images: Fort Drum and 10th Mountain Division Flickr. All rights reserved. January 25, 2023, $84 million contract awarded for Excalibur replenishment, Army contract actions to increase 155 mm artillery shell body capacity, Transcript: Media roundtable to announce Future Long Range Assault Aircraft contract award, Army announces Future Long Range Assault Aircraft contract award, Army awards $431 million contract for HIMARS, Army announces contract award for National Advanced Surface to Air Missile Systems, Army awards contract for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Army awards contracts for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Army awards $59 million contract to renovate barracks at Fort Hood, U.S. Army supports Polish allies with Abrams tanks and training, Army approves Milestone C and awards LRIP contract for the Mobile Protected Firepower program, U.S. Army STAND-TO! PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. We have full confidence in our soldiers who are trained and ready to meet any mission. From August 2005 through July 2006, 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed to Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitate training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Ex-Fort Hood brigade commander faces trial for abusive sexual contact