GREENVILLE, Ky. –
The Kentucky Army National Guard’s 751st Troop Command welcomed Lt. Col. Scott C. Thomas as battalion commander during a change of command ceremony at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky., Saturday. Thomas, a Louisville native, is currently the full-time Assistant Chief of Staff for the Kentucky National Guard.
Thomas replaced outgoing commander, Lt. Col. Brent A. Wilkins.
“As a Lieutenant Colonel, the culminating responsibility is that of being the battalion commander,” said Lt. Col. Thomas. “So, I am thrilled to take this command.”
Units from the 751st joined at WHFRTC over the weekend for their first mission together under the new command. Soldiers from the battalion came from all over the state to complete soldier training and individual weapon qualification.
Soldiers are already taking notice to a new era of command.
“I first met him while at the firing range this weekend,” said Spc. John R. Kelly, a member of the KYARNG 202nd Band. “We talked with him for a couple minutes about how he was in the band. That was pretty cool.”
Spc. Kelly, a native of Union, Ky., valued the connection he made with his new commander and honored him by playing the French horn at Saturday’s ceremony.
“I am a very approachable officer,” said Thomas. “I like the feedback from the soldiers. Everyone brings something to the table. I relish when someone asks me to address a problem and I turn right around and say, ‘What’s your solution to that problem?’”
Thomas has plenty of experience leading soldiers. In the past 25 years, his long list of commands include leading troops during deployments to Afghanistan and Kosovo, and a stateside deployment for relief during Hurricane Katrina.
“It has been a long battle,” he said. “But, it has been worth it every step of the way.”
Thomas’ past will be paving the road for his battalion’s future.
“The future always has change,” he said. “Specifically, with two realignments of brigades that will affect the 751st. So, over the next two years we are going to see a transition for the battalion. I want to see it transition well and smooth without too much interruption in its daily mission. The 751st’s priorities and missions will not change. They will always be a support battalion for the units they serve.”
The 751st Troop Command comprises of six companies: 202nd Band, 307th Maintenance Company, 1163rd Medical Company, 2113th Transportation Company, 2123rd Transportation Company and 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.
Command Sgt. Maj. Pat Copas, the full-time J3 operations sergeant major for the Kentucky Guard, joined Thomas as the new leading noncommissioned officer for the 751st, replacing Command Sgt. Maj. David Arvin.
“(The) 751st Troop Command has a reputation of excellence, and I want to be a part of that team,” said Thomas. “They have an amazing staff, and the companies under them are simply dynamic in what they do. I am proud to be here.”