FORT PICKETT, Va. –
Col. Arthur S. Moore took charge as the new commander of the Staunton-based 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Col. Jared D. Lake June 24, 2025, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Joseph A. DiNonno, 29th Infantry Division commanding general, presided over the exchange of organizational colors signifying the transfer of command from Lake to Moore. Command Sgt. Maj. Latane I. Gilliam, the 116th senior enlisted leader, was keeper of the colors for the ceremony.
“Col. Jared Lake is a combat-tested leader, a strategic thinker and a stalwart of this division,” DiNonno said. “His service spans three decades and every echelon from battery commander to division chief of staff. From Baghdad to Kabul, from hurricane relief in the Virgin Islands to securing our nation's Capital, Jared has led with integrity, steadiness and humility.”
DiNonno said Lake leaves a brigade that is sharper, faster and more agile than ever before. He also recognized Lake’s leadership through the highly successful eXportable Combat Training Capability Rotation and first steps in transformation to a mobile brigade combat team organization.
“His leadership enabled the Normandy Brigade not only to execute operations but to evolve in real time, a feat very few commanders can claim,” he said. “His steady hand during this transition, paired with his mentorship of the incoming commander, has ensured continuity and trust.”
DiNonno said Lake’s contributions to the brigade and to the 29th Infantry Division are enduring and he exemplified what it means to be a servant leader.
“The Normandy Brigade has had a rather busy three years,” Lake said. “In that time, you returned from multiple deployments, successfully reset and reintegrated, and immediately started squad level proficiency training and progressed through platoon proficiency, culminating with company and battalion level training here at XCTC. During that rigorous training, you also responded to the call for support to Joint Readiness Training Center Opposing Force rotations, support to civil support operations, multiple division warfighter exercises, the Presidential Inauguration and an National Training Center rotation. We've had a great journey together.”
Lake expressed his gratitude for the “privilege of commanding this great historic brigade” and the people who made it possible. He recognized the state and division headquarters, his fellow brigade commanders, his staff, including his executive officer and operations officers, as well as the two command sergeants major who were his battle buddies. He thanked the Soldiers of the brigade for their “hard work, dedication and sacrifice” over the past three years.
Lake said it was important to remember the importance of duty, honor and sacrifice in the military because they are the core principles that define military service.
“These are the principles that make our military and country great,” he said. “Do not forget the great sacrifice our families make that enable our ability to serve. The importance of this sacrifice cannot be understated.”
DiNonno welcomed Moore as the new commander and acknowledged the breadth of experience he brings to the new leadership role.
“Art is no stranger to this formation or this division,” DiNonno said. “From leading a rifle company to commanding 1st Battalion of this Normandy Brigade, he has grown through the ranks with distinction. His experience spans the tactical to the strategic, from the streets of Iraq and Egypt to the halls of the Pentagon and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. His intellect, operational acumen and passion for Soldiers make him the right leader at the right time to take this brigade through the most challenging training at JRTC next summer and any follow-on deployment.”
He also noted how Moore participated in this XCTC not as a bystander, but as a leader as he shadowed Lake throughout the rotation and stepped into command seamlessly during the final phase of the exercise. DiNonno said that integration speaks volumes, not just about his preparation, but also about the trust and collaboration between these two remarkable officers.
“I have full confidence Col. Moore will continue the Normandy Brigade's journey to greatness,” Lake Said. “He brings a wealth of tactical, operational and institutional experience that will not only enable a successful MBCT transformation, but ensure Normandy is ready for combat operations at JRTC and subsequent deployment.”
Moore said he had four points to make as he took command of the brigade. First, he said filling the ranks was his top priority. Second, he said the brigade will perform with distinction at JRTC next summer.
“We will aggressively shoot, move, communicate and sustain ourselves in the field and set the example in field discipline and basic Soldier skills,” he said.
Third, he said he would lead the Soldiers of the brigade through the final stages of transformation to a mobile brigade combat team.
In his final point, Moore said it is not money, computers or platforms that make the U.S. Army the greatest in the world.
“What sets up apart and gives us our combat advantage is our Soldiers,” he said. “We have better officers and junior enlisted Soldiers than our enemies. But where we have a marked advantage over our adversaries is our long-serving, highly-trained experienced warrant officer and professional noncommissioned officer corps.”
DiNonno, Lake and Moore all acknowledged the importance of the unwavering support from families and loved ones because behind every formation stands the strength of home.
The Troutville-based 29th Infantry Division Band provided music for the event.
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