Command of 1-52nd changes hands at Fort Wainwright
Published Saturday, July 19, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — Lt. Col. Manley R. Alford saw the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment stationed at Fort Wainwright through good times and bad during the past two years.
But Friday he officially bid the unit goodbye at a change of command ceremony as he prepares to head to a new job with the Pentagon.
“I’m going to miss it all except for the minus 50,” Alford said. “I can do without that.”
The 1-52nd is a unit made up of about 40 aircraft that is dedicated to responding to crises on short notice. Task Force 49 and Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic are among the battalion that make up the 1-52nd.
Alford said he was especially proud of how soldiers and families took care of each other under his command.
In addressing the crowd of several hundred military personnel and their families, he also asked for a moment of silence for the five aviators under his command who were killed in Iraq last August during a test flight, an event he called “the worst day of my command.”
Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Layfield, commander of U.S. Army Alaska, praised Alford’s leadership during the deployments of several battalions.
“These are times that demand solid experience and unwavering leadership,” he told the crowd. “You sir, provided that.”
Alford’s successor, Lt. Col. Kelly J. Peitz, a distinguished military graduate whose most recent assignment was as presidential airlift coordinator at the White House, takes over a unit with some unique challenges, but he said he’s up for the task.
“The challenges of this battalion is that we’re moving companies out separately rather than in a battalion formation, and that always creates challenges in training, and how we do business, because we’re designed to deploy as a battalion,” he said.
However, serving in Alaska is something that he has long been looking forward to.
“I’ve always asked to come up here on assignments,” he said. “I would have never thought it would be for battalion commander.”
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Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Layfield, commander of U.S. Army Alaska, praised Alford’s leadership during the deployments of several battalions.
“These are times that demand solid experience and unwavering leadership,” he told the crowd. “You sir, provided that.”
For this man to utter these words is a joke. When Layfield was a LT Colonel himself he showed no leadership when it came time to stand up for this country re the UN. This is the man that gave SPC New the order to wear the UN blue patches and cap.
It is about time we remove the "perfumed princes" from uniform and bring back the men of morals and honor. Or, kiss this once great nation goodbye forever.
http://www.mikenew.com/breach.htm
TiredOfLies....Your 100% Right about Gen. Layfield! This man is a Sorry Example of Real Leadership! I hated to say it, but we still have a lot of “His Kind” in Uniform. Take a look at the Sorry Officers that Tried to put “Our-Troops” into jail for doing there job over in Iraq! And most of the officers I’m talking about, had never done anything but “Ride-A-Desk
Lt. Col. Alford---
We will miss you. Your aviators appreciated all you did for them. Thank you for remembering our lost five and for supporting us as we prepare to bring the Flying Dragons home. Best wishes, sir.
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