Change of Command event was last week
Col. Evangeline Rosel, a 1997 graduate of West Point and native of Hackensack, NJ, has replaced Col. Cecil Marson as garrison commander at West Point. A change of command ceremony, attended by well over 100 people, took place on Buffalo Soldier’s Field on July 23.
The ceremony location was surrounded by familiar symbols of West Point as an Army post, not a military academy — a helicopter, a snow plow, several fire trucks, a military police car, and even a cannon.
In attendance were dozens of West Point civilians who work under the garrison commander, friends and family of both colonels, and repesentatives of the community outside the West Point gates, including Highland Falls Mayor Joe D’Onofrio, HF-FMCSD Superintendent Dr. Frank Sheboy, County Executive Steve Neuhaus, Highlands Supervisor Bob Livsey, NY State Police, Orange County Sheriff’s deputies, THPD Chief Frank Pierri, and others. Also in attendance were West Point’s Command Sgt. Maj. Rusty Lane, and USMA Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams. Williams spoke at the ceremony, reflecting on Marson’s last two years as garrison commander and welcoming Rosel.
Williams said he was honored to be at the ceremony. He spoke about how the last few months have been difficult, with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The front line of the pandemic at West Point were all the incredible professionals of the garrison, with Cecil Marson leading the charge,” Williams said. But he also spoke about the work that Marson has overseen including a cemetery expansion project, modernization efforts, post housing problems, the upgrade of athletic facilities, improving communication with all of those outside West Point, the building of a new elementary school and much more.
He quoted Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville saying “We win by doing the right things the right way”.
“Cecil,” Williams said, “you and your amazing team have certainly done the right things the right way. You’ve done the ordinary things better than anyone else. Your stellar leadership and commitment to excllence has been invaluable.”
Williams noted that Rosel will have big boots to fill, but that he knows she is up to the job. Her husband is also an Army officer stationed at West Point, and they have two daughters.
Marson called it his honor to have served as garrison commander. He cited the friendships and relationships he’d made in the job, and said it was his privilege to “help take care of everyone here”.
As he spoke, Marson also mentioned the challenges faced at West Point in recent months as the nation dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, and recognized personally many of those he worked with in the recent months. Marson also mentioned that when the pandemic began he had “absolutely zero idea of how to deal with it”, and relied on the early guidance of Williams, who was previously stationed in Liberia, dealing with an Ebola outbreak.
To Rosel, Marson said “you will have the time of your life working here”.
Marson is not leaving West Point. He will work as the deputy commandant for the year ahead. He has also been sworn in as the West Point Liaison to the HF-FMCSD Board of Education.
