Garrison commander relinquishes command

Community members, military leaders, staff and guests gathered for U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern’s relinquishment of command ceremony June 28.

Lt. Col. Lars Zetterstrom relinquished command to Col. Bryan D. DeCoster during a ceremony at Armstrong’s Club on Vogelweh. Zetterstrom was the last battalion-level garrison commander for the garrison before its deactivation in September.

The garrison’s senior enlisted adviser, Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald S. Creighton, also relinquished his position to Command Sgt. Maj.  Kenneth J. Kraus.

DeCoster and Kraus currently serve as the command team for U.S. Army Garrison Baden-Württemberg in Heidelberg, which is scheduled to deactivate Sept. 30. DeCoster will remain through USAG Kaiserslautern’s re-designation to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz Oct. 1. The new garrison’s footprint will include approximately two dozen installations.

During the ceremony, DeCoster praised Zetterstrom and his team for their leadership, and efforts to improve cooperation between the Air Force and Army units across the KMC.

“Thank you for the support that each and every one of you provides to the community. I look forward to working more closely with each of you as we transform and establish a brigade level garrison here in Kaiserslautern,” DeCoster said.

He also added there were plans to host a formal change of command and deactivation ceremony for the garrison in September.

Afterward, Zetterstrom offered a few parting thoughts to the KMC as he reflected on his final days here.

“It’s hard to believe that two years have already come and gone. Many things have changed and many more things will change, but the one that has remained constant for my family and I is that this has been the best two years of my career and also the happiest for our family,” Zetterstrom said. “It has been my honor to serve this community and its members.”

Prior to the relinquishment ceremony, Zetterstrom and his wife, Erin, were honored during a special award ceremony attended by Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, Installation Management Command commanding general. The KMC was one of several stops Ferriter made as part of his European visit.

IMCOM-E Region Director Kathleen Marin was also present and thanked the outgoing commander and his family for their service.

Zetterstrom’s next assignment will be at the Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pa., and Creighton will relocate to Baumholder to become the command sergeant major for the garrison there.