FORT A. P. HILL, Va. — COL. William J. Coffin ’88 took command of the Virginia National Guard's Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from COL. John M. Epperly ’89, the 116th's commander since June 2012, at a change of command ceremony Aug. 2, 2014, at Fort A. P. Hill, Va. BG. Blake C. Ortner, the Virginia National Guard Land Component Commander, was the senior officer in the ceremony and passed the 116th's unit colors from Epperly to Coffin to signify the change of command of the unit...
Ortner described Coffin as the “right officer at the right time to continue to make a difference” and said “I can't think of a better officer to assume command from COL. Epperly. I am confident he will lead the Stonewall Brigade on to even greater things.”...
Over the past two years of Epperly's command, the brigade has been recognized as being in the top five BCTs across the Army National Guard nationally. In addition to honing combat readiness, the brigade has responded to several emergency missions for the Commonwealth of Virginia ranging from hurricanes like Super Storm Sandy to local floods and winter storms.
The 116th Infantry Regiment has been called into service during World War I, World War II, the Balkans and in Afghanistan and Iraq in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. The 116th was first organized Nov. 3, 1741, as the Augusta County Regiment of the Virginia Militia. The brigade traces its lineage directly from the Augusta County Regiment served under George Washington in the French and Indian War as part of the Virginia Regiment. Elements of the brigade also served during the Revolutionary War and fought in the War of 1812. The regiment also served in the Army of the Shenandoah under BG. Thomas J. Jackson, Jackson and his men earned the title “Stonewall” at the battle of First Manassas.
“As I look at our brigade colors today and see the battle streamers our generation put there, I see all of you In those colorful silk battle streamers, there's a little piece of immortality for all of us who were there in those faraway lands together,” Epperly said. “We are forever linked to all who came before us from 1741 to now and into the future.” Read More