Pershings' Doughboys WW1 Living History Group

7th Army Reserve Command Change of Command Ceremony August 2007

In August 2007 Pershing's Doughboys were personally invited by Brigadier General Richard Tabor to attand and participat in the Change of Command Ceremony for the 7th ARCOM marking his retirement from the US Army Reserve and the next chapter in the 7th ARCOMs history. General Tabor assumed to positon as Commander, 7th ARCOM, on July 28, 2003, after previously serving as the commands Cheif of Staff. General Tabor and the 7th ARCOM Colour Guard have supoported the ABMC Cemetery Brookwood's Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies for the past 5 years and a strong bond have been forged between them and the Doughboys. It is through this relationship that General Tabor extending this rather unusual invitation to a British living history group. The ceremony was held on 26th August at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen, Germany, in the presence of Brigadier General Scott West, commander 21st Theatre Sustainment Command; Brigadier General Jon Miller the incoming Commander , as well as many serving regular and reserve soldiers and their families. Our participation presented logistical challenges for the group, not least getting ourselves and our firearms to Germany and back again. Order of Ceremony Welcome Floral Presentation Invocation Arrival of the Official Party Honors to the Nations Remarks Benediction Army Song Conclusion After two days of rehersal in 90F heat in civilian cloths we were well prepared for the main event on the Sunday morning. The reaction of the soldiers we were parading with when we emerged from our barracks in full M1917 Battle Order was overwhelming. The most common comments being "Arn't you hot in there" and "I'll never complain about being hot again". The three of us inder arms were to give a volly 5 minutes before the official start time to draw the audiences attention to the event. Given that we were in a quadrangle surrounded by multi-story barrack block the crack of the full bore .30 Cal blank ammunition made quite a few jump. Many of the soldiers we were with had never heard a large calibre rifle go off - all were just used to the sound of the 5.56mm cartridge of the AR15. While those under arms stood on the parade ground the ladies in our group we given the duty of escorting the official party while the youngest among us, the Chairmans daughter, was asked to hand the floral gifts to the wives of Generals Tabor and Miller.

Brigadier General Richard M. Tabor	Brigadier General Jon J. Miller

WW2 vintage 57mm Anti-tank guns used by the 7th ARCOM Military Police for firing slautes.	Doughboy's being inspected by the 7th ARCOM Command Sgt. Major

The parade salutes the Official Party.	Generals Miller, Scott and Tabor review the assembled troops.

A view of the parade at rest.	The 7th ARCOM Colour Guard steps forward for the offical passing of the Colours. The Colour of the 7th ARCOM is taken by the Command Sgt Major who passes it to General Tabor, who passes it to General Scott, who passes it to General Miller who returns it to the Command Sgt Major and thence the Colour Guard. This process symbolises the passing to the ARCOM through higher command between the outgoing and incoming commanders.

Brigadier General Miller recieves the Colour of the 7th ARCOM, and thus its command, from General Scott.	The ceremony complete, General Tabor os quite literally out of a job and is free to leave the base. Here General Tabor poses one last time outside the headquaters building with Pershings' Doughboys.

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