Story by. Capt. Taylor Criswell, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs

CONSTANTA, Romania — 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, held a change of command ceremony from Lt. Col. Bradley DeLoach to Lt. Col. Erin Braswell at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base on Feb. 11.

“Brad joined this team of professionals during a critical time, just prior to deployment, and through the first few months of getting the Spearhead team set up on a solid foundation and running smoothly here in Romania,” said Col. Reggie Harper, commander, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. “He leads by example in every way; he understand the strategic framework within which this team operates every single day.”

“I’m truly humbled and honored to have served in this battalion,” beamed DeLoach. “We rapidly deployed, built combat power and demonstrated our capabilities, all while battling weather, long lead times for parts, austere working environments and COVID restrictions.”

For DeLoach, serving with 3-227 was a family matter.

“3rd Battalion is personal to me,” he said. “Being part of the same organization that my grandfather served in 50 years ago is something that I can treasure, and I will for the rest of my life.”

Braswell brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as an aviator to the Spearhead team.

Harper explained, “She has excelled at every level from platoon leader, to brigade executive officer, and most recently she served as the chief of operations and plans for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, tasked with accounting for the recovery and repatriation of our U.S. service members.”

“The history of this organization is vast and I’m excited that we will continue to write the next chapter of this storied battalion,” Braswell said. “Our ability to respond when called upon depends on your skill and dedication. We – every single Trooper in this formation – we are Spearhead.”

Friends, family members of DeLoach and Braswell and numerous fellow Soldiers from around the world were able to watch live on social media.

“Our calling in the Army is truly a family endeavor,” Harper explained. “Although the families could not join us live today, their virtual presence makes all the difference. Brad and Erin could not have accomplished what they have done, at the level they have in the Army, without their families’ love and support.”

For more information about the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, please contact Capt. Taylor Criswell, Brigade Public Affairs Officer, at donald.t.criswell.mil@army.mil.

3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, held a change of command ceremony from Lt. Col. Bradley DeLoach to Lt. Col. Erin Braswell at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base on Feb. 11. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Marlina Corbin)