NcDeuce
05-15-2004, 04:54 PM
Turner takes over Screaming Eagles
Fort Campbell says goodbye to Petraeus
By CHANTAL ESCOTO
The Leaf-Chronicle
Fort Campbell's newest high ranking officer, Maj. Gen. Thomas Turner, became the Screaming Eagles' 41st commander Friday, taking over command from Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus.
Nearly 16,000 soldiers graced the Division Parade Field during the two-hour ceremony, which awed the 300-plus spectators as they heard the division's band play, watched troops march across the field and saw Apache, Chinook, Black Hawk and Kiowa helicopters roar over the ceremony in a traditional two-by-two formation.
Turner, 51, previously was commander of the Army Southern European Task Force in Italy and can look forward to taking on the division's transformation and continued war on terrorism.
In the next few months, the division will get about 2,000 more soldiers to make a fourth brigade, which will be called "units of action." Fort Campbell officials said they are working with the Pentagon to get back into its ranks the 506 Infantry Regiment, whose Easy Company jump into Normandy on D-Day in 1944 was highlighted in the book and HBO series, "Band of Brothers."
Turner said he's excited about leading the division especially with its rich history since World War II and looks forward to working with the soldiers, families and community.
This is his first assignment to Fort Campbell.
"I'm proud and truly honored to join your ranks today," Turner said. "We will be ready when called again for our next 'rendezvous with destiny.'"
Turner said the division now would be focused on allowing soldiers to recover from war, spend time with family and repair equipment. He would not provide a timeline for when he expected elements of the division to be prepared to deploy again.
"If we went tomorrow, our equipment might not be ready, but we can go tomorrow and do whatever our country asks us to," Turner said.
For Petraeus, the ceremony marked a bittersweet moment in his 30-year military career. He spent most of last year with his soldiers battling insurgents in the first part of the war in Iraq and then moved north to Mosul to help rebuild that part of the country. Sixty-one soldiers from Fort Campbell have died while in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"I can imagine no better privilege than having soldiers with the Screaming Eagles for the last two years and particularly in Iraq," Petraeus said in an earlier interview. "There is no greater honor or responsibility than heading American soldiers. Our soldiers over there (in Iraq) were absolutely magnificent."
Petraeus will most likely be promoted to lieutenant general before he heads for his new assignment as chief of the Office of Security Transition in Iraq. Petraeus will be in charge of recruiting, training, equipping and mentoring Iraqi security sources, including the river police, customs and coastal defense.
Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, commander of the 18th Airborne Corps, passed the colors from one two-star general to the other, offering his thanks to the troops and all the support surrounding the post.
"It's because of the courage of these men and women that we enjoy the freedoms that we do," Vine said, taking a twist from Tom Brokaw's book about World War II being the greatest generation. "I have seen the newest generation, and they're out there today."
Turner, who served with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Panama as part of Operation Just Cause, was also deputy U.S. military representative to the NATO military committee in Brussels, Belgium. He has also served at Fort Bragg, N.C., and has received numerous awards and badges for his service as a Ranger and paratrooper.
He is married to the former Susan Strum of North Carolina, and the couple has four children.
Petraeus of New York is experienced with nation-building and anti-terrorism, as his job before arriving at Fort Campbell in July 2002 was as deputy commander of the U.S. Joint Interagency Counter-Terrorist Task Force in Bosnia.
His wife, Holly, grew up in the Army, and the couple has two children.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040515/localnews/427060-183666.jpg
Lt. Gen. John Vines, 18th Corps commanding general, right, hands the flag to Maj. Gen. Tom Turner as Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill looks on during the change of command at Fort Campbell Friday. Turner takes over the 101st as Maj. Gen David Petraeus moves on to another assignment in Iraq.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040515/localnews/427060-183667.jpg
Petraeus, Vines and Turner head to the podium during the change of command ceremony.
Fort Campbell says goodbye to Petraeus
By CHANTAL ESCOTO
The Leaf-Chronicle
Fort Campbell's newest high ranking officer, Maj. Gen. Thomas Turner, became the Screaming Eagles' 41st commander Friday, taking over command from Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus.
Nearly 16,000 soldiers graced the Division Parade Field during the two-hour ceremony, which awed the 300-plus spectators as they heard the division's band play, watched troops march across the field and saw Apache, Chinook, Black Hawk and Kiowa helicopters roar over the ceremony in a traditional two-by-two formation.
Turner, 51, previously was commander of the Army Southern European Task Force in Italy and can look forward to taking on the division's transformation and continued war on terrorism.
In the next few months, the division will get about 2,000 more soldiers to make a fourth brigade, which will be called "units of action." Fort Campbell officials said they are working with the Pentagon to get back into its ranks the 506 Infantry Regiment, whose Easy Company jump into Normandy on D-Day in 1944 was highlighted in the book and HBO series, "Band of Brothers."
Turner said he's excited about leading the division especially with its rich history since World War II and looks forward to working with the soldiers, families and community.
This is his first assignment to Fort Campbell.
"I'm proud and truly honored to join your ranks today," Turner said. "We will be ready when called again for our next 'rendezvous with destiny.'"
Turner said the division now would be focused on allowing soldiers to recover from war, spend time with family and repair equipment. He would not provide a timeline for when he expected elements of the division to be prepared to deploy again.
"If we went tomorrow, our equipment might not be ready, but we can go tomorrow and do whatever our country asks us to," Turner said.
For Petraeus, the ceremony marked a bittersweet moment in his 30-year military career. He spent most of last year with his soldiers battling insurgents in the first part of the war in Iraq and then moved north to Mosul to help rebuild that part of the country. Sixty-one soldiers from Fort Campbell have died while in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"I can imagine no better privilege than having soldiers with the Screaming Eagles for the last two years and particularly in Iraq," Petraeus said in an earlier interview. "There is no greater honor or responsibility than heading American soldiers. Our soldiers over there (in Iraq) were absolutely magnificent."
Petraeus will most likely be promoted to lieutenant general before he heads for his new assignment as chief of the Office of Security Transition in Iraq. Petraeus will be in charge of recruiting, training, equipping and mentoring Iraqi security sources, including the river police, customs and coastal defense.
Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, commander of the 18th Airborne Corps, passed the colors from one two-star general to the other, offering his thanks to the troops and all the support surrounding the post.
"It's because of the courage of these men and women that we enjoy the freedoms that we do," Vine said, taking a twist from Tom Brokaw's book about World War II being the greatest generation. "I have seen the newest generation, and they're out there today."
Turner, who served with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Panama as part of Operation Just Cause, was also deputy U.S. military representative to the NATO military committee in Brussels, Belgium. He has also served at Fort Bragg, N.C., and has received numerous awards and badges for his service as a Ranger and paratrooper.
He is married to the former Susan Strum of North Carolina, and the couple has four children.
Petraeus of New York is experienced with nation-building and anti-terrorism, as his job before arriving at Fort Campbell in July 2002 was as deputy commander of the U.S. Joint Interagency Counter-Terrorist Task Force in Bosnia.
His wife, Holly, grew up in the Army, and the couple has two children.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040515/localnews/427060-183666.jpg
Lt. Gen. John Vines, 18th Corps commanding general, right, hands the flag to Maj. Gen. Tom Turner as Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill looks on during the change of command at Fort Campbell Friday. Turner takes over the 101st as Maj. Gen David Petraeus moves on to another assignment in Iraq.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040515/localnews/427060-183667.jpg
Petraeus, Vines and Turner head to the podium during the change of command ceremony.