The Joint Base Lewis-McChord community joined 555th Engineer Brigade in bidding farewell to two of its leaders and welcoming two others in a change of command ceremony Nov. 10 on Watkins Field.

The brigade commander relinquished command and the command sergeant major tranferred responsibility to his successor.

Colonel Michael Brobeck and Command Sgt. Maj. Elmo Leichenhauer handed over the 555th Engr. Bde. reins to Col. Nicholas Katers and Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Bryan.

Brobeck served as commander of "Triple Nickel" since November 2009. During his command, he led more than 4,000 troops organized into eight battalions in three states. Those battalions at JBLM include the 14th Engineer Battalion, 864th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Explosive Ordnance Battalion, 23rd Chemical Battalion and 110th Chemical Battalion.

Brobeck came to JBLM from Alexandria, Va., where he served as the chief of the U.S. Army Engineer Branch. His next assignment will be back inside the beltway, where he will serve in the Pentagon on the Joint Staff.

I Corps Deputy Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Lloyd Miles, commended Brobeck for his successes in leading one of the Army's most complex brigades, both in garrison stateside and in battle overseas.

"In spite of the fact that all of his subordinate units were on different timelines for deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Mike developed one of the most disciplined, tough and agile units in our Army and earned a solid reputation as a leader of action who knows how to develop disciplined units for any contingency," Miles said to hundreds of troops and guests during the ceremony.

Brobeck was credited with several major accomplishments, but his contribution to the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, Miles said, stood out.

"Colonel Brobeck and his leaders developed a most detailed and effective plan to reintegrate and reset units returning from deployment and to identify and assist those Soldiers who may be suffering from the invisible wounds of war," Miles said.

The program was adopted by I Corps and served as a model for the Army to follow.

Humbled by Miles' remarks, Brobeck insisted he had very little to do with the brigade's accomplishments and instead gave credit to his Soldiers and fellow leadership.

"They are the real reason behind any success this brigade has had," Brobeck said.

Brobeck said his goal was to leave Triple Nickel "built to last" with "systems that transcend time and transitions."

"Hopefully I've done that and it allows you to navigate from a known point and set a course to the next objective," he said.

He called Families the "real strength behind troops," and thanked his own for their support.

"We all know the Army is a Family business, and there's absolutely no way we could do what we do without their support," he said.

Katers joined Triple Nickel having recently graduated from the U.S. Naval War College, in Newport, R.I. He previously served as commander of the 84th Engineer Battalion (Construction Effects) in Hawaii and deployed with the unit to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom 09-11.

Katers said he and Bryan could not have asked for a better transition team than their predecessors at 555th Engr. Bde.

"It is truly a great honor to be allowed to lead America's sons and daughters," Katers said, invoking the brigade motto. "It's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We are ‘willing and able.'"

The brigade's history dates back to 1943, when it was first constituted as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1103rd Engineer Combat Group and activated at Fort Devens, Mass. Since its activation, Soldiers from the brigade have participated in several conflicts, beginning with the World War II invasion of Normandy. In 1947, the group was redesignated as 555th Composite Service Group, and after ensuing redesignations, made its way to Fort Lewis in 1992, where it was subsequently redesignated 555th Engineer Brigade.

The brigade deployed three times in support of OIF.