Friends and family of the 40th Infantry Division Headquarters gathered at the Joint Forces Training Base for a change of command ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 24, to bid farewell to Lt. Col. Kelly Greenhaw and to welcome Lt. Col. Annette Grand Pre.
Friends and family of the 40th Infantry Division Headquarters gathered at the Joint Forces Training Base for a change of command ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 24, to bid farewell to Lt. Col. Kelly Greenhaw and to welcome Lt. Col. Annette Grand Pre.
Present was the 40th Infantry Division Band, Commander Brigadier General Keith Jones, Sunburst Youth Academy Color Guard and Los Alamitos Council Member Dean Grose.
Outgoing Lt. Col. Greenhaw thanked all the soldiers for their hard work over the last 2 years. The battalion was successful in turning over $70 million in excess property to the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office in San Luis Obispo which included vehicles and tactical radios, while under Lt. Col. Greenhaw’s command. He will now be transferred to the state level serving a brand new entity as a Cyber Warfare Officer for the California National Guard, according to Commanding General Jones.
“He did an extraordinary job,” said General Jones. “He is one of a few highly trained communications and signal experts.”
Incoming Lt. Col. Grand Pre is a warrior-citizen who works as a Coroner Investigator for Los Angeles County. Her education includes a bachelor’s degree in Nursing, working as a Medical Laboratory Specialist, Airborne School, Air Assault Course, Reserved Officers Training Corps and more. Her awards and decorations include Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medals, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
“It’s an awesome and exciting opportunity to lead American soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Grand Pre. “I look forward to the challenge.” “Strength Through Unity, Sunburst!” which is the motto of the 40th Infantry Division.
Brigadier General Jones said we are delighted to have Lt. Col. Grand Pre to lead the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. “I’m very proud of both Lt. Col. Greenhaw and Lt. Col. Grand Pre.”
The 40th Infantry Division was formed in 1917, and subsequently organized at Camp Kearny, California, with National Guard Soldiers from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. They were deployed to France in 1918. They were reorganized in 1926, and had a headquarters in Berkley, California.
The division was inducted into federal service in 1941, serving overseas a year later. It was inactivated in 1946, but then reorganized and federally recognized the same year in Los Angeles. The division has served in the Korean War in 1952. By 1968, the division was converted and redesigned as the 40th Armor Brigade, and in 1974, it was converted and redesigned as the 40th Infantry Division in Long Beach. The headquarters moved to Los Alamitos in 1981.
The division served in the Los Angeles riots and also has been activated for duty in response to floods, fires and earthquakes. It also served in Kosovo in 2004 to 2006, and again in 2008 to 2009. In 2010, the division was assigned the Domestic All Hazards Response team, addressing natural or man-made crisis.