Staff Report
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. -- On Sat. Nov. 2, Lt. Col. Jeff Cole will relinquish command of 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry to Maj. Joseph Lear in London, Ky.
In honor of this event, we take a look back at the unit 10 years ago, when Maj. William A. Denny -- who is now a colonel as the J3, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations for the Kentucky Guard -- took command from Lt. Col. Karlas Owens, now retired, in Barbourville, Ky. in March of 2003.
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Lt. Col. Karlas Owens is awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his distinguished service as Battalion Commander of 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry. Lt. Col. Owens relinquished command of the unit to Maj. William A. Denny during a change of command ceremony in Barbourville, Ky. in March of 2003. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo from Kentucky National Guard archives)
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Maj. William A. Denny takes command of 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry from Lt. Col. Karlas Owens during a change of command ceremony in Barbourville, Ky. in March of 2003. Col. (Ret) Kenny Edwards, commander of the former 149th Armor Brigade, presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo from Kentucky National Guard archives)
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Members of Bravo Co. 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry render a salute to the incoming commander, Maj. William A. Denny as he takes command of the unit from Lt. Col. Karlas Owens in Barbourville, Ky. in March of 2003. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo from Kentucky National Guard archives)