JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jeff W. Mathis III relinquished command of Joint Task Force Civil Support to Maj. Gen. William F. Roy during a change of command ceremony at Fort Eustis' Seay Plaza, July 15.
Mathis, a Texas native, assumed command in July 2012 and leaves JTF-CS after two years at the helm.
The ceremony's presiding official, Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, praised Mathis' leadership as essential to the joint task force's ability to plan and respond rapidly during U.S. assistance to "Superstorm" Sandy in 2012.
"Major General Mathis led his team and answered the call for assistance and brought unity of effort to the multi-state regional disaster of national significance," said Jacoby. "JTF-CS did the vital work of synchronizing all of the DOD support that came in for the relief efforts -- a job well done."
In accordance with Army tradition and heritage, the unit colors were passed from Command Sgt. Maj. Richard H. Capps, JTF-CS senior enlisted advisor, to Mathis, symbolizing his last act of allegiance to the outgoing commander.
"It is a distinct honor and privilege to have served as the JTF-CS commander for my final tour in my 39-year career," said Mathis. "I am confident that Major General Roy will lead this unit to even greater success and will stand ready to meet our citizens pressing needs."
Mathis then passed the colors to Jacoby signifying the unit is never without a commander, and then passed the colors to Roy, symbolizing the entrustment of command.
The passing of colors concluded when Roy handed the colors back to Capps, denoting the organization's colors stay with the Service members of JTF-CS.
Roy, a Vermont native, becomes the seventh commander in JTF-CS history and was most recently assigned as the deputy commanding general for operations of U.S. Army North (Fifth Army), at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
"Major General Roy is the right commander at the right time for JTF-CS," said Jacoby. "He knows the civil support mission and he knows how to operate."
Roy thanked Jacoby for the gift of the JTF-CS command and promised to stay "ever vigilant and always ready."
"I will remember this day for the rest of my life," said Roy. "Thank you for welcoming me with open arms, and I look forward to the days ahead with our very important mission."
Upon completion of the change of command ceremony, the retirement ceremony for Mathis commenced.
JTF-CS is U.S. Northern Command's standing operational joint task force headquarters comprised of more than 200 military and civilian personnel responsible for planning, anticipating and conducting immediate and decisive Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear consequence management response operations in support of civil authorities.
Additional information about JTF-CS and the capabilities of the Defense CBRN Response Force can be found at http://www.jtfcs.northcom.mil/JTFCS.aspx