Washington native picks up new command

Mike Grant, Washington Times-Herald, Ind.
·2 min read

Feb. 8—A Washington native has stepped down from a major assignment in the Indiana National Guard and has picked up a new, larger task.

The Indiana National Guard's 38th Infantry Division welcomed Brigadier General Dan Degelow as its new commander. He took over the reigns from Major General Tim Thombleson, a native of Washington, who commanded the division for the last two years.

National Guard Adjutant General Dale Lyles praised both men at the change of command ceremony.

"Dan Degelow and Tim Thombleson represent to me the epitome of soldiers," said Lyles. "The 38th Infantry Division and the units aligned under the 38th stand strong to defend our freedom and our very democracy. This division represents what is great about America. The men and women that serve in this division represent the heart and soul of America. You put this uniform on for one reason, and that is to stand between good and evil. You are indeed what stands against tyranny. You stand against communism. You stand against totalitarianism. You stand against dictators that seek to invade sovereign nations."

General Thombleson thanked his family, his predecessors in command and the division of soldiers and non-commissioned officers for their willingness to see the mission completed.

"There are two things that make the United States Army the best in the world," said Thombleson. "The first is the professionalism of our NCO corps, and the second, is our ability to extend operational reach through logistics."

Thombleson led the division through the COVID-19 pandemic and also through two sets of warfighter exercises. He received a Distinguished Service Medal for his command.

He now moves to V Corps, headquartered in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and will serve as a deputy commanding general.

"It's been a pleasure and an honor to lead the soldiers of the 38th Infantry Division," said Thombleson. "I grew up in the division, and I will look on my time there with fondness. Yet I'm excited for this new challenge as I join the V Corps ranks."

V Corps provides training, increases readiness and retains operational control of assigned and allocated units to work alongside allies and partners and deny adversaries in times of crisis.

Thombleson was deputy commanding general for maneuver during the division's deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield from July 2019 to March 2020 leading a tactical forward element in Saudi Arabia.

He is also a veteran of two deployments, serving as deputy commander for Task Force Cyclone in Afghanistan in 2009 and as a battalion executive officer in Iraq from 2002 to 2004.