The West Virginia Army National Guard welcomed two of its newest commanders over the weekend as formal change of command ceremonies were held for the 1092nd Engineer Battalion and the 111th Engineer Brigade in Parkersburg and Eleanor, West Virginia, respectively June 12 and 13th, 2020.

Col. Murray “Gene” Holt, commander of the 111th Engineer Brigade, presided over the ceremony for the 1092nd Engineer Battalion, held June 12th in Parkersburg, West Virginia, where Lt. Col. Robert Kincaid relinquished command to Lt. Col. Brent Schultz.

Holt lauded Kincaid’s leadership and dedication to mission, especially during an unprecedented time for the United States military and the National Guard.

“Rob is an outstanding Soldier, leader and mentor,” Holt said. “He is also an outstanding motivator and has an unparalleled devotion to Soldier care and commitment to mission success. I can honestly say as Rob’s Brigade Commander, I have learned so much from him. I know as he takes the helm of the 111th Brigade that he will do an outstanding job leading the unit through their next phase.”

Kincaid has served as the 1092nd Engineer Battalion commander since 2017. He has accumulated nearly 30 years of service between the Active Duty Army and the West Virginia Army National Guard (WVARNG) in the engineer field. He has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 20th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and completed multiple state active duty missions with the West Virginia National Guard. Kincaid is a graduate of West Virginia University where he earned his graduate and undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Liberal Arts.

Kincaid highlighted the accomplishments of the 1092nd and their various contributions to the success of the West Virginia Army National Guard mission, which has included multiple combat deployments, Resolute Castle rotations to support our NATO allies, support to the National and World Scout Jamborees and a multitude of engineer missions for state active duty support in West Virginia.

“The 1092nd is one of the premier battalions in the country and I would put them and their operational tempo up against anyone,” said Kincaid. “It has been an honor to have served with each and every one of you.”
Schultz, whose most recent assignment has been attending the U.S. Army War College, assumed command from Kincaid.

He has served in both the Active Duty Army and in the WVARNG in the engineer field and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2007 to 2008. He has more than 28 years of military service and holds multiple degrees from the United States Army War College, University of Charleston and University of Rio Grande.

“My goals for the Battalion are to continue where Lt. Col. Kincaid left off,” said Schultz. “He left me a great Battalion that has accomplished a lot during these last few years. We have units that have been engaged overseas in Kuwait, Romania and Poland and we plan to carry that forward so our Soldiers can get those opportunities to work with allies and partners.”

He concluded that he was excited about the opportunity to work with such a great group of people.

Brig. Gen. Russell Crane, Assistant Adjutant General – Army, presided over the change of ceremony held June 13th in Eleanor, West Virginia, for the 111th Engineer Brigade where Holt relinquished command to Kincaid.
Crane spoke of the exceptional service and leadership that Holt has provided to the Brigade during his tenure as commander and discussed the upcoming challenges and milestones Kincaid would be charged with leading the Brigade through.

“I have had the pleasure of serving with the 111th Brigade and subordinate units for nearly 20 years,” Holt said. “I have also had the great opportunity to deploy with them twice and learn from a multitude of senior leaders. I challenge each of you to take the opportunity to learn and lead, especially as the unit prepares for the upcoming deployment. This is the opportunity to shape our leaders for the next 20 years.”

Holt has served in the WVARNG since 1990 and has held multiple positions in the engineer field. He has completed two deployments to Iraq and Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also holds degrees from West Virginia University and West Virginia State University in Business Administration and Accounting.

Holt concluded that he has been exceptionally proud to have been in command but even more so to have served alongside each of the Soldiers in the unit.

As a part of the traditional ceremony, Holt passed the unit guidon to Kincaid, signifying the end of his command.

Kincaid noted that his foundation for success was in the room with him during the ceremony, which included his parents, wife, mentors and military leadership from the WVARNG.

“A great mentor once told me that warriors are not born, they are raised,” said Kincaid. “I am a true believer in that we are all products of our environments and our experiences and that the baseline for success is allowing ourselves to open up to those experiences and learn from them. I promise that you will see me, hear me and that I will listen and be there for each of you no matter what we face as a unit and organization.”

The 111th Engineer Brigade, known as the “Black Diamond” brigade, is headquartered in Eleanor and is the largest brigade in the WVARNG. The 111th has oversight of three battalions - the 1092nd Engineer Battalion, the 771st Troop Command Battalion and the 772nd Aviation Troop Command Battalion.