Fort Campbell welcomed in local leaders, community members and thousands of soldiers during a Change of Command ceremony Friday, as they bid farewell to Major General Brett Sylvia.
Major General Sylvia first assumed command at Fort Campbell in July 0f 2023, and since then, lead the division through the development of a unique large-scale, long-range Air Assault capability initiative, numerous training missions and deployments overseas, and disaster relief efforts on our shores.
Reflecting on his time with the 101st Airborne Division, Sylvia says, “And to each of those challenges, the men and women standing before you today didn’t just rise – they soared! Today, I stand before you with great pride knowing that the 101st Airborne Division has not only built upon a tremendous legacy, but also emerged having firmly established itself as the unit of choice for any mission, any time, any place, and against any foe.”
With the leaving of Sylvia, the Division now welcomes its 50th commander in Major General David Gardner. He comes to Fort Campbell from Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and brings an extensive operational and strategic history to the post.
He previously served as the commanding general of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, where he helped sculpt modern warfighting doctrine and prepared soldiers across the Army for combat.