The Big Red One celebrated the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team’s change of command between Colonel Michael Pappal and Colonel John Reynolds III, Friday morning at Fort Riley.
Colonel Reynolds makes his return to Fort Riley after previously leading the Blue Spaders in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2006-08. Reynolds will assume command of the Devil Brigade as its Soldiers continue their reset cycle of integrating new personnel and acquiring and training on new weapons systems.
Colonel Pappal led the Devil Brigade during its 2010-2011 deployment to Baghdad in support of Operation New Dawn. While in Iraq, the brigade performed a mission with the Iraqi Security Forces, and was among the last American units in the Iraqi capital. His next stop is Newport, RI where he’ll attend the Naval War College.
