By Lt. Col. Thaddeus Clark
Camp McGrady, South Carolina – The next iteration of Task Force Marshall completed the Transfer of Authority among the Task Force Commander and Command Sergeant Major on Feb. 16, 2022 at McCrady Training Center in Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Col. Joseph A. Jackson, the Leader Training Brigade Commander, opened the ceremony by welcoming all the distinguished guests. He thanked the outgoing commander, Col. Jennifer F. Mellott, for all her service, along with her outgoing command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Paul M. Levesque, as he officially retired from his 30 plus year career.
Jackson charged the incoming team, Lt. Col. Thaddeus Clark and Command Sgt. Maj Bethannie J. Bugbee, to continue to raise the bar, as Mellott and Levesque did during their tenure.
The outgoing commander thanked her team for all the many accomplishments during the 2021 calendar year, particularly the implementation of the heavy weapons familiarization that consisted of the 249 Squad Automatic Weapon; 240B medium machine gun and .50 caliber machine gun. At the conclusion of Mellott’s speech, she presented a Warhorse plaque to Jackson for the flexibility in command he offered to conduct training.
The incoming commander thanked Mellott for everything she, and the team, did during the pre-mobilization process, ensuring a smooth transition. Clark briefly covered his command philosophy in that Task Force Marshall’s cadre will not be missing the ships. He further explained the ships they will use are not the naval vessels for the Sailors, but the sponsorship, mentorship, and ownership embedded within leadership. These are the ships we will use, as the Sailors we train prepare for their individual deployments to the CENTCOM and AFRICOM theaters, explained Clark.
He explained at the conclusion of the ceremony he wanted the youngest Soldier on Task Force Marshall, 1st Lt. Brittney L. Butler, the Bravo Company executive officer, and oldest Soldier, Sgt. 1st Class David L. Becker, the supply noncommissioned officer in charge, to cut the cake that contained the seals of all the partners: the Leader Training Brigade,, the Navy Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center, the 98th Training Division and the outgoing Warhorse Team to emphasize the unique and standing relationship among all the elements.