BOISE, Idaho — A change of command ceremony took place Saturday, April 20, for the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment at the Orchard Combat Training Center in Idaho during their one-weekend-a-month training duty.

Lt. Col. Jared Carpenter relinquished command to Lt. Col. Joshua Rapp in a traditional military ceremony presided over by Col. Peter Helzer, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

The 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, is headquartered in Southern Oregon and has over 150 years of service to the state, including deployments during World War II and recent mobilizations supporting the global war on terrorism.

“As someone who grew up in Southern Oregon, I am proud to have led a unit that has over 150 years of service to the state, including service in WWII and recent deployments in support of the global war on terrorism,” said the outgoing commander, Lt. Col. Carpenter.

The incoming commander, Lt. Col. Rapp, emphasized the foundation of excellence in caring for soldiers and their families.

“In order for us to do anything to the best of our ability, we must first take care of ourselves, each other, and our families. That has to be the foundation of everything we do,” Rapp said.

Col. Helzer praised the accomplishments of Lt. Col. Carpenter’s tenure and expressed confidence in Lt. Col. Rapp’s future leadership.

“The 1st of the 186th, the ‘Guardians,’ are a historical unit in Oregon. I’m incredibly proud of Lt. Col. Carpenter’s work over the last two years, bringing us through COVID and transformation in preparing for large-scale mobilizations. I look forward to Lt. Col. Rapp’s contributions and leadership as we move into the future, mobilizing parts across the Middle East and North Africa,” Helzer said.

Lt. Col. Rapp will lead the Guardians, on a rotation deployment to the Sinai later this year. Lt. Col. Carpenter has been appointed to a leadership role in the Oregon National Guard’s State Partnership Program working with partner nations Bangladesh and Vietnam.