Operations Group received a new commander during a change of command ceremony here, Aug. 4.

Colonel David Lesperance took charge of the unit after receiving the organization’s colors from the commander of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin.

The previous commander, Col. (promotable) Jeffery Broadwater, goes to his next assignment as deputy commander support, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Lesperance arrives from an assignment as chief of staff for III Armored Corps in Fort Hood, Texas.

Lesperance is a 1989 distinguished military graduate from the Portland State University ROTC program, where he was commissioned as an armor officer. His military education includes Infantry Officer Advanced Course (1993), Command and General Staff College (2002) and the United States Army War College (2012).

Lesperance’s assignments have included: 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Bad Kissingen, Germany where he served as tank platoon leader, support platoon leader and troop executive officer from 1990 to 1993, including a deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Storm; 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division – serving as S-3 Air and later commanded D Company and Headquarters and Headquarters Co., from 1996 to 1999 – including a deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Forge; from 1999 to 2001, he served at the United States Army Infantry School as a small group instructor and doctrine team chief; he commanded 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment from 2008 to 2010, including a deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2009 to 2010; he then served as Scorpion 07 at the NTC from May 2010 to July 2011. After completing studies at the War College, he commanded 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team “Greywolf,” 1st Cavalry Division from June 2012 to June 2014.