TOA = Transfer of Authority

TOA is when you give over the control to a new unit. It was officially today. I now have no responsibility but to get home safely. Here are some pictures from the ceremony. It was a lot of Pomp & Circumstance but it was really nice.

Here is the official party. The incoming Command Sergeant Major and Commander and the outgoing CSM and Commander and finally the Brigade Commander to the far right. That is COL McGrath my Commander giving his farewell speech.

Here they cased the colors (unit flag). They open them again when we hit soil back at Fort Polk.

l-r = Col Mike Calder (Chief Nurse 1st MED Brigade) and Col Bob Tenhet (Commander 1st MED Brigade). We were all old friends from our days at Fort Bragg. For my civilian followers the Brigade Commander is like the CEO of a Hospital System. He runs all the medical assets in Iraq. He is the head Kahuna for medical folks in Iraq. He gave me a coin afterwards!!! (Army tradition to give coins to people who have done a good job).


L-R = LTC Fabrizio (Occupational Therapist); COL Schneider (Physical Therapist), me, and CPT Whelan (OT). Fabrizio is the OT Bobbi will possibly replace in the last 90 days of his rotation. COL Schnieder is the Corp level Surgeon. She works for a 3 star general as his medical guide. Whelan was replaced by Fabrizio.