Battalion Change of Command June 19, 2013

On June 19, Lt. Col. Christopher R. Forsythe will relinquish command of the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Columbia to Lt. Col. Michael L. Standish at the Ft. Jackson Officer Club.

Standish will take the reins from Forsythe, whose next assignment is National Defense University, at Ft. McNair in the District of Columbia.

Before coming Columbia Battalion, Standish was the Protection/CBRNE Planner for I Corps, the Deputy Team Chief/Stability Transition Team Advisor to the 4^th Region Department of Border Enforcement in Iraq. His last assignment was as the Deputy Team Chief and Emergency Management/CBRNE Assessment Officer on the Joint Staff Integrated Vulnerability Assessment (JSIVA) Team One while assigned at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in the District of Columbia. 

LTC Standish’s varied assignments over his 21 year career to include postings as a Chemical Officer in various Maneuver, Maneuver Support, and Logistics units from the company to corps level.  Leadership positions have included Decontamination and Mechanized Smoke platoon Leader assignments in the 25^th Chemical Company and command of the Headquarters Company, 2^nd Chemical Battalion.  He is an experienced instructor and trainer having served as a Small Group Leader for the Chemical Captain’s Career Course at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., as a Tactics Instructor and Small Group Advisor at the Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., and as a training advisor to the Royal Saudi Army Chemical School at King Khalid Military City, Saudi Arabia.

Standish holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from Webster University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, Wash.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (4 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Service Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award (1OLC), Bronze Award of the German Military Efficiency Badge , and Air Assault Wings. 

Standish is married to the former Tracy Bromley and they have two sons, Christopher and Joshua.

Forsythe has served as Commander of the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Columbia for the past two years.  Previously, he was the G8/Comptroller for the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.  He has served numerous tours at  Ft. Bragg, N.C. as the Resource Management Officer, 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne) and Commander, Charlie Company, 82d Soldier Support Battalion(Airborne) as well as Commander of the 82d Financial Management Company.

For more information, please contact Leslie Ann Sully at 404-808-2317 or email leslie.a.sully.civ@mail.mil.