The 75th U.S. Army Reserve Innovation Command held a change of command ceremony, June 28, 2024. 75th USARIC Soldiers and Civilians watched Maj. Gen. Martin Klein relinquish command to Maj. Gen. Michelle Link.
Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general, U.S. Army Reserve Command, was the presiding officer.
The event included the traditional passing of the colors, symbolizing the transfer of command authority from Klein to Link.
Maj. Gen. Klein's Legacy
In his remarks, Klein reflected on his tenure as the 75th USARIC commander and highlighted the command's accomplishments under his leadership.
“75th Innovation Command, if you could see yourself through my eyes you would see excellence throughout our formation,” said Klein. “You would see a master sergeant by the name of Bassig who has done everything that he could do to make us more individually ready and use the development software skills to fundamentally transform the citizen Soldier experience.”
Klein continued listing other Soldiers who contributed to the innovative thinking within the formation of the Command.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Soldiers and Civilians of the 75th USARIC for their dedication and innovation.
“You would see a number of dedicated Civilians, not least to mention Martinez, Cummings, Stibbard, Crump, and Gonzalez, people who have dedicated their existence to the service of our Soldiers and our nation,” Klein added.
Klein said in closing, “You would see a commander by the name of Link who’s getting ready to assume command of this great organization, who is purpose-built and tailor-made to take over the mantle of command and to move you to the next level.”
Klein leaves the 75th USARIC to serve as the deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command.
Maj. Gen. Link takes charge
Link became the first woman to command the 75th USARIC since its inception as an infantry division in 1943. She reinforced her commitment to building upon the foundation laid by her predecessor.
“The future battlefield demands agility and adaptability,” said Link. “The 75th [USARIC] with its citizen-Soldiers and Civilians bring diverse backgrounds in cutting-edge skills to perfectly align to meet these challenges.”
She emphasized the importance of the 75th USARIC's role in driving modernization efforts within the Army Reserve.
“We will continue to leverage a remarkable talent and ingenuity to develop groundbreaking solutions that enhance the readiness and lethality that will deliver the Army of 2030 and design the Army of 2040,” Link said.
Lt. Gen. Daniels recognizes excellence
Daniels commended Klein for his leadership and service. She described Klein’s time as the 75th USARIC Commanding General.
“He took a developmental approach to the 75th [USARIC] from his corporate and small business experiences and instituted and revised vision for this very young command in its new version, with no exaggeration, in less than three years,” said Daniels.
Daniels also took time to describe Link’s recent tenure in Hawaii as the deputy commander of Joint Task Force-Red Hill. The joint task force’s role is to ensure the safe and expeditious defueling of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility through coordination with State and Federal stakeholders. The massive undertaking set conditions for closure while continuing to rebuild trust with the State of Hawaii and the local community of Oahu.
Daniels described how Link’s engineering background and expertise led to Link’s assignment with the joint task force. She also shared her confidence in Link and set expectations for her cutting-edge Command, the 75th USARIC. “She and the team got that job [JTF-Red Hill] done six months early…That’s why she’s here today,” added Daniels.
Recognizing importance of 75th USARIC
In addition, Daniels highlighted the critical role the 75th USARIC plays in ensuring the Army Reserve remains at the forefront of innovation.
“The personnel in this organization, the reason they are in this organization is because we leverage their civilian skills, their knowledge, their expertise,” said Daniels. “This ensures that this team can identify and develop the latest technological trends, solve military challenges, and incorporate commercial innovation into institutional processes; so, it is a breeding ground of innovation.”
The 75th U.S. Army Reserve Innovation Command, as part of the Army's Transformation enterprise, provides specialized capabilities persistently engaged within the key Army Futures Command elements and initiatives to enhance the Army's pursuit to maintain its competitive advantage. Go to innovation.army.mil to learn more about the 75th USARIC, and follow us at https://www.facebook.com/armyreserve75, https://www.instagram.com/armyreserve75/, and https://www.linkedin.com/company/75thusaric/
