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Col. David E. Chesser officially took over as fort commander at a ceremony Thursday. He succeeds Col. Derek Sentinella and will lead the base for three years.
A graduate of Appalachian State University, the 49-year-old Chesser has been in the Army since 1982. He commanded the 458th Combat Engineer Battalion during a 2004-05 deployment in Baghdad.
Sentinella wrote in the Fort McCoy newspaper that his only regret during his three-year stint as commander is the fort has yet to secure funding to replace thousands of crumbling, World War II-era structures.
His next assignment will be in South Korea.
“I am one proud soldier to have worked with such a great group of men and women,” Sentinella told troops Thurs-day. “I will never forget you.”
Neither commander was available for an interview.
The 60,000-acre installment in rural Monroe County is a training facility for troops from all branches of the military and helps ready National Guard and reserve forces heading overseas. Last year, more than 112,000 personnel trained there.
Fort McCoy employs nearly 3,300 people, the majority of them civilians.
Coming Sunday
Family warriors: For many Americans, military service is a family tradition, passed from fathers to sons. Sunday, the Tribune will profile area families with parents and children serving together.
The Tomah Journal contributed to this story.
