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Local Guard unit gets new commander
Fredericksburg Army National Guard unit getting new commander
Date published: 10/3/2009
By RUSTY DENNEN A lieutenant colonel with an engineering background will lead a Fredericksburg-based Army National Guard unit. David K. James assumes command of the 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion during a ceremony this afternoon at Fort A.P. Hill. He replaces Lt. Col. Raymond M. Patterson Jr. The unit, based at Fredericksburg Armory, was deployed to Iraq in March 2007. The soldiers were stationed near Tallil Air Force Base, about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad. The unit was among soldiers from guard units pulled from across the state for the mission. The soldiers' duties included guarding convoys, escorting other military personnel, clearing travel routes and searching for insurgents harassing convoys. Some of the troops from Fredericksburg served on the Special Weapons Exploitation Team, which helped locate roadside bombs for disposal. A Charlottesville native, James is a graduate of Lynchburg College, with a bachelor's in business management. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers through Washington & Lee University Reserve Officer Training Corps. He was then assigned as a bridge platoon leader in the 237th Engineer Company of the 116th Infantry Brigade. He was a platoon leader in B Company, 229th Engineer Battalion, 29th Infantry Division (Light), then became executive officer of B company. He commanded Company C of the 229th Engineer Battalion for 19 months and served in other positions before becoming strength accounting officer for the 29th Infantry Division. James returned to the 229th Engineer Battalion as executive officer during the battalion's deployment to Bosnia. He became assistant division engineer, then division engineer for the 29th Infantry Division. James is a graduate of the engineer officer basic and advance courses, Command and Staff Services School, Command and General Staff College, Airborne School, Air Assault School and Sapper Leaders Course. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and Army Service Ribbon. He is married with two children. The family resides in Fredericksburg. Rusty Dennen: 540/374-5431
Date published: 10/3/2009
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