On Thursday, June 21st, representative elements of the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry stand ready (above) for the Change of Command Ceremony at Kanell Field.

 

198th Infantry Brigade Commanding Officer Colonel Bruce D. Parker stands facing the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry
as LTC Thomas Nelson (to his left) takes command from LTC Michael Hastings (to his right). 

 

INCOMING COMMANDER

LIEUTENANT COLONEL THOMAS NELSON

LTC Thomas Nelson was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry upon his graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1995 (Distinguished Military Graduate). His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course (Distinguished Leadership Graduate), Captain's Career Course (Distinguished Leadership Graduate), and the Command and General Staff College. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from St. Leo University and a Master's Degree in Organizational Psychology and Leadership from Columbia University, New York.

His command experience includes: Commander, C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Commander, C Company, 5th Ranger Training Battalion and Commander, HHC, 5th Ranger Battalion, Dahlonega, Georgia.

Assignments as a soldier and Noncommissioned Officer from 1985 to 1995 include: service in Minnesota, Fort Lewis, Washington, Camp Hovey, Korea, and Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Assignments as an officer include: Rifle Platoon Leader and Battalion Scout Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington; Assistant Operations Officer, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Operations Officer, 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas; Executive Officer 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment forward deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bostick, Afghanistan. Brigade Operations Officer, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Kentucky and professor of Military Science, Saint John's University, Minnesota.

LTC Nelson's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with one Silver and two Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (second award), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon, Korea Defense Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (second award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon (third award), and NATO Medal. He has attended the Army Jumpmaster Course and Scout Leaders Course. Additionally he has earned the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Parachutist Badge, Jumpmaster Course, and the Ranger Tab.

LTC Nelson and his wife Michelle have three children, 15, 10 and 2 years of age.

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