Wentworth Executes Change of Command for SROTC Program

To contact us Click HERE
On Friday, July 6, 2012, LTC Darren Fitz Gerald stepped down as the PMS for the SROTC Department. We welcomed in the new PMS, LTC Perry. The following transcipt is directly from the Change of Command ceremony:

THE ROTC BATTALION WELCOMES YOU TO THE CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY BETWEEN LTC JEFF PERRY AND LTC DARREN FITZ GERALD.  LTC FITZ GERALD OFFICIALLY ASSUMED COMMAND OF WENTWORTH MILITARY ACADEMY AND COLLEGE ROTC BATTALION ON JULY 1^ST 2009. HE RELINQUISHES COMMAND THIS MORNING TO LTC JEFF PERRY.  PRESIDING OVER TODAY'S CEREMONY IS COL BILL SELLERS, THE PRESIDENT OF WENTWORTH MILITARY ACADEMY AND JUNIOR COLLEGE.
AT THIS TIME, MRS HANNAH FITZ GERALD IS BEING PRESENTED A BOUQUET OF YELLOW ROSES AS A SYMBOL OF THANKS FOR HER DEDICATION AND SUPPORT OF RED DRAGON ROTC BATTALION.  MRS KELLEY PERRY IS RECEIVING A BOUQUET OF RED ROSES, WELCOMING HER TO WENTWORTH AND THE RED DRAGON BATTALION.
THE CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY IS A MILITARY TRADITION THAT IS RICH WITH SYMBOLISM AND HERITAGE DATING BACK TO MEDIEVAL TIMES. SOLDIERS OFTEN CARRIED STAFFS OR STANDARDS INTO BATTLE THAT IDENTIFIED THEM AS A UNIT. THROUGHOUT MILITARY HISTORY, UNIT COLORS HAVE MARKED THE POSITION OF THE COMMANDER AND SERVED AS A RALLYING POINT. IN MORE RECENT TIMES, THE COLORS REPRESENT NOT ONLY THEHERITAGE AND HISTORY OF THE UNIT, BUT ALSO THE UNITY AND LOYALTY OF ITS SOLDIERS. THE COLORS ARE THE COMMANDER’S SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY, REPRESENTING HIS RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE ORGANIZATION. THE PASSING OF THE UNIT COLORS REPRESENTS THE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE UNIT FROM  ONE COMMANDER TO ANOTHER.
THE SENIOR MILITARY INSTRUCTOR, MSG JORGE MAZUELA,  IS THE KEEPER OF THE COLORS. AS THE SENIOR ENLISTED SOLDIER IN THE UNIT, HE IS THE SPOKESMAN FOR BOTH THE LOYALTY ANDCONCERNS OF THE SOLDIERS AND THE PRINCIPLE ADVISOR TO THE COMMANDER.  THE PASSING OF THE COLORS FROM THE SENIOR NCOTO THE OUTGOING COMMANDER SIGNIFIES HIS LAST ACT OFALLEGIANCE TO THAT COMMANDER.
THE PASSING OF THE COLORS FROM THE OUTGOING COMMANDER TOTHE SCHOOL PRESIDENT SIGNIFIES THE UNIT IS NEVER WITHOUT LEADERSHIP.
THE PASSING OF THE COLORS FROM THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT TO THE INCOMING COMMANDER SIGNIFIES THE PASSING OF HIS TRUST, AND ALSO THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE UNIT AND ITS SOLDIERS.BY THE AUTHORITY OF AR 600-20, PARAGRAPH 2-3, THE UNDERSIGNED ASSUMES COMMAND OF WENTWORTH MILITARY ACADEMY AND JUNIOR COLLEGE ROTC BATTALION , EFFECTIVE 6 JULY 2012. SIGNED,  JEFFERY PERRY, LIEUTENANT COLONEL , COMMANDING
THE PASSING OF THE COLORS FROM THE INCOMING COMMANDER TOTHE SENIOR MILITARY INSTRUCTOR SIGNIFIES THE CONFIDENCE THE COMMANDER PLACES IN THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER CORPS AND IS THE SENIOR MILITARY INSTRUCTOR’S  FIRST ACT OF ALLEGIANCE TO HIS NEW COMMANDER.