Col. Thomas C. Slade handed over the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center - Europe colors and mission to his successor, Col. Erik G. Rude at a change of command ceremony on July 11.

Invited guests, USAMMCE employees, friends and family came out to say farewell to Col. Slade and to welcome Col. Rude.

Maj. Gen. Joseph Caravalho Jr., the commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and Fort Detrick, Maryland presided over the event. He thanked all of the USAMMCE employees for what they do each day and Col. Slade for being an outstanding commander over the past two years. He also welcomed Col. Rude to the command.

In his farewell speech, Col. Slade thanked his family for always supporting him and Team USAMMCE for all the work its dedicated personnel do each day.

"I want to thank you and tell you how proud I am that over 350 talented individuals from different cultures, races and backgrounds can come together daily as one team, one strong, 350-member team that functions seamlessly," he said.

Maj. Gen. Caravalho further mentioned this assignment was one of the best in his 27 years in the Army.

Col. Rude comes to USAMMCE from the Army War College, but is no stranger to Germany as he was stationed In Wiesbaden, Germany as commander of the 557th Medical Company and the chief of the Division Medical Operations Center, 1st Armored Division.

German Soldiers of the 263rd Paratrooper Battalion, the Landstuhl Color Guard, and the U.S. Army Europe Marching Band contributed to the success of the ceremony.