VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. –
After more than four years of serving as commander of the 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers Squadron, Lt. Col. J. Stock Dinsmore relinquished command to Lt. Col. Jeffrey E. Getz during a change of command ceremony April 14, 2018, at Camp Pendleton State Military Reserve in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The ceremony marked the end of Dinsmore’s 21-year service with the 203rd RHS as well as the return of Getz to the squadron. Getz had previously left the squadron to serve as the deputy director of logistics at the Virginia National Guard Joint Force Headquarters in Sandston.
“What a way to be a part of a great place in order to cut your teeth and learn leadership,” said Dinsmore. They share a past of working together at home station and during two deployments.
“I have no doubt in my mind that he’s going to continue to lead you all in a great place.” Dinsmore had a long history with the 203rd RHS and currently oversees them as the 192nd Mission Support Group commander. His first assignment was to the squadron’s design section upon entering the 203rd RHS in 1997. Dinsmore served as the 203rd RHS Air Fields Flight officer in charge in 2004, the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group design chief from 2006 to 2007, the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron commander at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in 2011. He also served as the 203rd RHS deputy commander in 2012, the 203rd RHS commander in 2013 and became the 192nd MSG commander in 2017.
“The wing staff meeting on Wednesday was the first time I saw him wear a green hat,” said Getz in reference to the red ball caps that RED HORSE members wear.
Getz shared stories of his past experiences in the squadron. He remarked that upon his return “a couple people said welcome home.” Getz said that the RED HORSE is like a family, sharing good times, hard work and good stories together. “We’ll work hard and get it done, but we’ll do it in a way where we enjoy what we work.”
After the official ceremony concluded, an unofficial ceremony followed for the change of mascot. Two red horse-costumed individuals marched in to cheers and laughter from in attendance. After an estimated 23 years as the RED HORSE mascot, Bubba was retired and Charging Charlie became the new RED HORSE mascot.
The 203rd RHS provides a highly mobile civil engineering response force to support contingency operations worldwide.