'THERE IS NO GREATER HONOR'
FORT DRUM — A new garrison commander was appointed Thursday morning at the Army post here during a ceremony in the Magrath Sports Complex.
Col. Noel T. Nicolle took the guidon from Col. Kenneth H. Riddle, who has been in charge of the post since April 2008. A garrison commander oversees the day-to-day operations on post. He also is in charge of the post's civilian workers.
Maj. Gen. James L. Terry, commander of the 10th Mountain Division, welcomed Col. Nicolle.
"There is no greater honor than commander," Gen. Terry said. "There is absolutely nothing like it."
Col. Nicolle, an artillery officer who has spent his 24-year military career at various posts, including in California, Oklahoma and Georgia, said he was excited to be at Fort Drum.
"I'm looking to experience the north country culture," he said.
Inherent in the job of garrison commander is working with families of deployed soldiers and the local community — tasks Col. Nicolle had experience with when he was the 3rd Infantry Division's rear-detachment commander in 2005. He dealt with the workings of home life at Fort Stewart, Ga., while elements in his unit served overseas.
His experience will be a benefit to Army families, said Russell B. Hall, director of the Installation Management Command's northeast region.
Mr. Hall also said it's not an easy job.
"You'll work hard and get tired," he told Col. Nicolle.
In 2006, the colonel took command of the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery and deployed to Iraq as 1st Brigade's Iraqi Police coordinator and adviser. In the Ar Ramadi area, his battalion trained and equipped more than 9,000 police officers.
In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, Col. Nicolle served as a fire support officer.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, La., and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, respectively.
He is married to Tamara Mincks and has two sons, Robert Joseph and James Peter.
Col. Riddle has taken a job as an operations officer for the division and is deploying this fall to Afghanistan.
