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Montana National Guard holds change of command ceremony for 103rd Public Affairs Detachment

Posted at 6:58 PM, Aug 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-06 16:12:13-04

The Montana National Guard welcomed a new commander Saturday for its 103rd Public Affairs Detachment.

A change of command ceremony was held at Fort Harrison. Capt. Ryan Finnegan, who has led the detachment for more than four years, relinquished his command to Capt. Jeremy Hargis.

Hargis most recently served as the officer in charge for the Guard’s 495th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, stationed at Camp Dahlke in Afghanistan. He said this would be a far different job to what he had done in the past, and that he was ready for a new challenge.

Hargis thanked Finnegan, saying he was impressed with what he had seen from the detachment.

“I’m looking forward to working with these fine soldiers,” he said. “I know that I can learn a lot from them, just like I hope that you guys can learn something from me.”

Finnegan will now serve as an ammunition officer for the 190th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in Billings, working on logistics.

“To the soldiers of the PAD, it has been the honor of my professional career to lead you for four years,” he said. “Capt. Hargis, I want you to know that this is a good group of soldiers you’re taking on, and know that I intend for your accomplishments to be even greater than my own.”

The 103rd Public Affairs Detachment is a unit that specializes in documenting what Montana National Guard soldiers and airmen do through photos, video and other media coverage.

“Though small in number, the 103rd PAD has a reach that extends throughout the entire state – and indeed, throughout the nation,” said Lt. Col. Michael Beck, the battalion commander.