Maj. Gen. Richard Longo, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and commander of U.S. Army NATO, passes the 2nd Cavalry Regiment unit colors to its new commander, Col. John Meyer, during a change of command ceremony held at Vilseck, Germany, Tuesday, July 15, 2014. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Maj. Gen. Richard Longo, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and commander of U.S. Army NATO, passes the 2nd Cavalry Regiment unit colors to its new commander, Col. John Meyer, during a change of command ceremony held at Vilseck, Germany, Tuesday, July 15, 2014. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
The outgoing 2nd Cavalry Regiment commander, Col. Douglas Sims, hands the ceremonial noncommissioned officer sword to interim command Sgt. Maj. Martin Celestine during a mass change of command ceremony held at Vilseck, Germany, Tuesday, July 15, 2014. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Maj. Gen. Richard Longo, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and commander of U.S. Army NATO, leads outgoing 2nd Cavalry Regiment commander Col. Douglas Sims and new 2CR commander Col. John Meyer during a troop inspection, on Tuesday, July 15, 2014. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Col. John Meyer, the new commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, addresses the crowd during the mass change of command ceremony held at Vilseck, Germany on Tuesday, July 15, 2014. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
Sgt. Maj. Martin Celestine took over as the 2nd Cavalry Regiment's command sergeant major during a change of command ceremony held at Vilseck, Germany, on Tuesday, July 15, 2014. (Michael S. Darnell/Stars and Stripes)
VILSECK, Germany — Col. John Meyer replaced Col. Douglas Sims as commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment during a ceremony Tuesday that also saw the changeover of the command sergeant major along with each Dragoon squad commander.
Meyer is no stranger to Germany, having served several tours of duty here, including one as commander of 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, in Grafenwöhr. Most recently, he served as director of training for the operations, plans and training forces command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Sims is heading to Fort Carson, Colorado, to become the chief of staff for the 4th Infantry Division. With his departure, the command sergeant major reins passed from his senior enlisted adviser, Sgt. Maj. Wilber Engram, to Sgt. Maj. Martin Celestine, who will serve as interim command sergeant major.
Meyer said being selected as commander to what he referred to as “the longest serving regiment in the U.S. Army” is a point of pride for him.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve in the regiment,” Meyer said. “What I’d like to do is to continue the history, traditions and legacy of the regiment and honor everything they’ve done before. And then to continue to support USAREUR and our allies as the regiment gets ready to assume their next mission.”
Tuesday’s ceremony also included the standing-up of a new regimental engineer squadron.
