RRAD has 40th change of command
HOOKS, Texas—After nearly 73 years of operation, Red River Army Depot has now seen 40 changes of command.
Outgoing Army Col. Doyle Lassiter handed the depot colors to Col. Brandon L. Grubbs during the change-of-command ceremony Thursday at RRAD’s parade grounds. The change included Lt. Col. Douglas M. Grams, who served as a two-month interim.
Bakersfield, Calif., native Grubbs has served in Germany, Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Irwin, Ca.; the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland; and in Iraq.
Maj. Gen. Michael J. Terry, commander of the Army Life Cycle Management Command, paid tribute to the colonels.
“Doyle leads by example, and he worked tirelessly on the community’s behalf … and as for Brandon, the Army selected the right man for the depot,” Terry said. “Brandon knows how to lead teams.”
Terry also praised the RRAD workers who attended the ceremony.
“Your participation adds a special touch to this ceremony,” he said. “Thanks for what you all have done at Red River.”
Lassiter took spiritual and humorous approaches to his departure.
“I first want to thank God for his blessings during these three years,” he said. “When I first heard about the depot’s location near Texarkana, I thought ‘Wasn’t that where Smokey and the Bandit were taking all the beer to?’”
Lassiter said the depot’s real mission has always been to help save the lives of soldiers in combat.
“During my time here, we’ve managed to weather sequestration, government furloughs and a government shutdown,” he said. “The Red River team of workers truly believe in giving nothing less than their best. The workers here have always built vehicles like their own lives depended on it. May God continue to bless this depot and this country.”
Grubbs continued with the tone set by Lassiter.
“The sacrifice and dedication you all have shown makes us successful in combat,” he said.
Grubbs was commissioned in the Army Reserve in 1990 and became an ordnance officer in the regular Army in 1992. In his first assignment, he was attached to the 703rd Main Support Battalion of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division, stationed at Kitzingen, Germany; he served as platoon leader, shop officer and support operations officer.
Having graduated from Combined Logistics Officer Advance training in 1996, he served as a support operation maintenance officer and company commander with the 203rd Forward Support Battalion of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division stationed at Fort Benning.
The Army placed Grubbs at National Training Center at Fort Irwin in 1999, and he was transferred in 2001 to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where he became a small group instructor and battalion executive officer.
In 2004, Grubbs served in Iraq before going to command the 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, at Fort Riley, Kan.
Grubbs was deployed again to Kirkuk, Iraq, in support of Operation New Dawn.
Just before coming to RRAD, Grubbs served as an integration chief in the Army’s Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute.
Grubbs’ military education includes receiving an Associate of Arts from Wentworth Military Academy; a Bachelor of Science in criminology from California State University in Fresno; a Master of Arts in management from Webster University; and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College.
Grubbs’ military decorations include a Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, a Meritorious Service Medal, an Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and a Parachutist Badge.
“I see great days ahead for Red River— with our best and nothing less,” he said.