The Big Red One’s new leader said he “couldn’t be more happier” to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps.
Brig. Gen. Kevin Williams succeeded Maj. Gen. Monté Rone as the 1st Infantry Division’s commanding general Friday during a ceremony at Calvary Parade Field on Fort Riley.
In his remarks, Rone said that for a long time he admired the division from a distance.
“Its history, reputation and the soldiers who carried its legacy,” he said. “Today, after more than two years of command, I can tell you this. Being a Big Red One soldier is everything I thought it would be, and so much more.”
What made it extraordinary was never the position, but the people, Rone said.
“You made these two years unforgettable,” Rone said. “You reminded me why this division — our division, the first division — has remained America’s first division for more than a century. You reminded me what makes us different. It’s a refusal to be satisfied; a constant drive to be better.”
