'Very humbled': Military ceremony transitions command of area Army Reserve battalion to new leader
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – United States Army Lt. Col. Trevor P. Needham officially accepted command of Johnstown-based United States Army Reserve 458th Engineer Battalion Saturday during a ceremony held in Sandyvale Memorial Gardens and Conservancy's Veterans Circle.
Needham is a Bucks County native who now resides in Maryland and entered active duty in 2006 as a distinguished military graduate from the University of Scranton Reserve Officer Training Corps program as an engineer officer.
"I stand before you very humbled by this great responsibility," Needham told his new battalion.
He accepted command of the unit from United States Army Reserve Lt. Col. Devin R. Penaluna, who thanked the six companies in the unit for his time with them and the support he received.
Penaluna said when he took command of the group, he did not believe they were ready to respond to any issue or conflict, but now he believes they are prepared for everything.
He advised the soldiers to never quit and assured them that Needham would drive them to a higher degree of success from here on out.
The change of command ceremony included a presentation of the United States flag and the battalion's flag, which features "a white D Argent shield with red art and a red rampant lion that represents the Ardennes region of Belgium, where the 458th Engineer Battalion first entered combat" and the "black executioner''s axe for the battalion's service in Germany."
The 458th Engineer Battalion was activated at Camp Swift, Texas, on Dec. 30, 1943, as the 1252nd Engineer Combat Battalion and served in the European Theater of World War II.
The unit moved to Johnstown in 1959 and took over the troop list formerly occupied by the 427th Engineer Battalion.
Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Ashley presented the battalion's flag to Penaluna, who then handed the banner to Col. Rico Santiago, commander of the 206th Regional Support Group, who oversees the Johnstown unit, before the command was given to Needham.
Santiago commended Penaluna's work with the local battalion, adding that during his tenure, the overall group significantly improved.
He also said that Needham is "instrumental in shaping our future."
"Trevor, you are the right professional at the right time," Santiago said.
In accepting the command, Needham provided some advice that his 5-year-old son Kolbe gave to him when he left to take charge of the group – "be good and have fun."
After the ceremony, Needham said his goal with the battalion is to have a positive impact on his group.
"I want the soldiers to have a good story – stories they're to be proud to tell their friends and their grandchildren one day," Needham said.
Prior to the day's events, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Symon, 93, was honored with a presentation of the unit's coin.
Symon earned is CSM rank in 1965 and later took command of the 458th Engineer Battalion in Johnstown.
"I'm looking at you guys and I salute you," said Symon, the Korean War veteran.
Symon added that it made his" heart feel so good" to know there are such young, capable soldiers there to protect the country.
