Syracuse, NY-- With a Civil War monument acting as a back drop, members of the U.S. Army’s Syracuse Recruiting Battalion this afternoon practiced marching in Clinton Square for Friday’s formal change of command ceremony. The public is invited to Friday's 11 a.m. ceremony in which Lt. Col. Bryan P. Radliff hands over command of the 240-member battalion to Lt....
View full sizeThe U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion from Syracuse rehearses a change of command ceremony Thursday at Clinton Square. The actual ceremony, during which Lt. Col. Bryan P. Radliff will relinquish command to Lt. Col. Richard R. Rouleau, will take place Friday morning.Syracuse, NY-- With a Civil War monument acting as a back drop, members of the U.S. Army’s Syracuse Recruiting Battalion this afternoon practiced marching in Clinton Square for Friday’s formal change of command ceremony.
The public is invited to Friday's 11 a.m. ceremony in which Lt. Col. Bryan P. Radliff hands over command of the 240-member battalion to Lt. Col. Richard R. Rouleau.
The battalion headquartered in the Atrium building in Clinton Square oversees recruiting stations in Central, Northern and Western New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania.
As people walked through Clinton Square and traffic drove along Salina Street, a bugler blew his horn while soldiers dressed in camouflage worked out their paces in the ceremony. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Oncenter.
This is the first time the Army has held its change of command ceremony in Clinton Square, Radliff said. The ceremony was held in the Onondaga County War Memorial when he arrived two years ago, he said.
Radliff said he was inspired to hold the change of command ceremony in Clinton Square after seeing the 100th anniversary celebration of the monument that was held in June.
The monument was dedicated June 21, 1910 and honors the 12,000 Onondaga County residents who served in the Civil War.
“It’s the perfect backdrop,” he said.
Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, Police Chief Frank Fowler, Syracuse University Football Coach Doug Marrone, and other dignitaries are expected to attend a 10:30 a.m. signing of a community covenant supporting soldiers and their families.
The event will also feature a climbing wall and displays.
Radliff moves on to his next assignment as deputy commander, 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Rouleau arrives from Alexandria, Va., where he was the chief of the Armor Enlisted Branch at the Army Human Resources Command.
Some of the streets around Clinton Square will be closed during the event.
For a list of street closings, click here to read an earlier story.