change of responsibility army speech

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How to Write a Change of Command Speech

C hances are you’ve been in one of the following situations:  a member of a formation suffering under a long change of command speech; an audience member embarrassed for the speaking commander because his speech is really bad; or a soon-to-be ex-commander staring at a blank page on the morning of your own departure speech. Sound familiar?

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. The change of command speech is important but it can sneak up on you in the distracted days before the big event. Here are some thoughts to consider as you prepare for the transition. There are sections for Incoming Commanders, Outgoing Commanders, and some general tips.

Going Into Command

• Keep it short (2-3 minutes)
• Introduction:  welcome the guests, but don’t run down the entire laundry list of guests. You’ll be the third person to speak, and the guests will feel plenty-welcomed by then.
• The Chain of Command for the opportunity
• The Outgoing Commander & his/her family
• Your spouse & family
• The troops, and express gratitude for the honor of joining their team
• Write two sentences about the privilege to command and how you’re looking forward to what the future will bring
• Do not say “ All policies and procedures remain in effect. ” First, it sounds ridiculous and cliché. Second, there’s no regulation or policy requirement to do so, nor is there any expectation that Army regulations and UCMJ are no longer applicable if you don’t say those seven words at your change of command. And finally, it’s not true. You’re going to change every policy letter when you resign it under your name. And, heaven forbid, you might actually change some things because, well, you’re the commander and you have the authority to do so.

Leaving Command

• Keep it short(ish) (8-10 minutes)
• Introduction:  go ahead and thank the key guests for attending. Welcome General Officers and equivalent Sergeants Major by name. Welcome your commander by name. Welcome all others by group, unless an individual stands out in some significant way (Medal of Honor recipient or “Honorary Colonel of the Unit”).
• Include some mention of why we serve, and of the concepts duty, honor, and sacrifice.
• Honor fallen/wounded Soldiers, as appropriate.
• Relive the story of your time in command, but from the Soldiers’ perspective, not yours.
• Retell some stories using individual names ( “The company’s success during NTC grew out of the individual efforts of men like squad leader SSG Goldman, who single-handedly breached the wire obstacle on the final objective.” )
• Your Chain of Command
• The unit for their sacrifice
• Your staff and higher headquarter’s staff for putting up with you
• Adjacent and supporting/attached units as necessary
• Your key staff members
• Your senior enlisted leader
• Your spouse

General Tips

• Rehearse your speech NO LESS THAN 10 TIMES!!
• Get feedback from your peers and spouse on content and timing.
• Don’t ad-lib unless you are a gifted orator or an extrovert who can carry a crowd.
• Type your speech in big font and wide paragraph spacing, put the pages into sheet protectors, and prepare them in a three-ring binder at the podium.
• Have a second fully functioning binder in case the Adjutant loses the primary.
• If you’re cool, consider putting the formation At Ease.
• DO NOT NOT NOT forget to thank your spouse! There is no chance that you would have been as successful as you were without him/her, so you should probably state that fact publicly.
• And finally…please don’t cry.

What other tips and thoughts do you have about preparing for a change of command? Leave a comment below.

And be sure to check out Victoria Wellman’s book on writing the perfect speech, Before You Say Anything . She is a renowned speech coach and has crafted memorable speeches for influencers, politicians, entrepreneurs, Olympians, NFL stars, astronauts, rap stars, artists, and activists.

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How to Give a Change of Command Speech

The change of command ceremony is a special event in a military officer's career. It represents the bookends of closing one chapter in the outgoing commander's life and the beginning of a chapter for the incoming commander. Your time in command will be one of the most challenging and rewarding times in your career and also for your family. Below I humbly offer some guidance to help you craft your speeches, advice for the incoming and outgoing commander. Use them to help you tailor your own speech.

What is the Protocol?

What do you remember from your time attending a previous change of command? Nothing? Great, now you know what most of the folks are going to think about your speech. Let's answer some of your questions below.

I have an Air Force perspective, so I can't answer if the other services do it differently. There is another great website from an Army perspective by a good friend, here . However, from an Air Force perspective, whose day is this? It is the out-going commander's ceremony , their award presentation, and it is the incoming commander's receiving line. As such, the out-going commander who has poured their heart and soul into the previous two years gets to have the longer remarks. However, no matter your role as the incoming or outgoing commander, make it short and sweet and move on.

What do I say?

I'm the out-going commander, what do i say.

You have great latitude here. No one wants a long ceremony. Your speech should last no more than 10 minutes. There is a twist on the J.A. Konrath quote, "If you can't be smart or funny, be brief." For giving speeches, "Be funny, be brief, be gone. But if you can't be funny--be brief." Humor will instill in the audience the grace to entertain your speech for a bit longer, but not much. Also, you are not a stand-up comedian, you are a commander. This is your chance to express gratitude and perhaps some wisdom with humor, not the other way around. Gratitude is the order of the day. It is a privilege to lead others and for them to be in your care. Even if it was difficult, you will likely be someone they never forget.

I remember all of my commanders, although some had less impact than others. However, none of their impact came from their change of command speech, either incoming or outgoing. Some thoughts to consider:

• Thank the distinguished visitors and the leadership for their attendance. Use names as appropriate. Do not forget to identify and thank General Officers in attendance as they have taken time out of their schedule to honor the office you occupy and your service.
• Thank the unit for their efforts
• Do tell stories from the unit to illustrate your points (adversity, tragedy, levity), incorporate or leave names anonymous as appropriate.
• Do not forget to thank your spouse . I have too many stories from Colonel and General Officer spouses who point out they were forgotten in the speeches.

I'm the Incoming Commander, What do I say?

The incoming commander has the easiest speech. It should take no more than 4 minutes.

It is five Thank You's and a Transition:

• First, thank the distinguished visitors and special guests in attendance.
• Second, thank the person who hired you . You wouldn't really be there if it wasn't for them. It is a privilege to lead others and they made it happen.
• Third, thank the out-going commander for their leadership and their hospitality.
• Fourth, thank those who helped make the ceremony happen . This would be the project officer who organized the ceremony, proffers, secretaries, and those who helped decorate for the event.
• Lastly, thank your family . If your parents are in attendance, it would make sense to thank them for their efforts in raising you and instilling in you the values and behaviors that have made you successful. Thank your children, because they likely had to move and have moved a number of times. Their sacrifice, albeit unwillingly for some, is important to acknowledge. Our children have a burden put upon them as being "The Commander's Kids" with increased scrutiny at a time when they are making mistakes trying to figure life out. It is similar, although arguably less scrutinized, to a pastor's children. Save your spouse for last. They are going to be a close confidant, an encourager, a truth-teller, and a family stabilizer. You will work long hours, with late night interruptions and they will be the one to keep the house together. A pre-emptive thank you for their sacrifices is always warranted. This is a baseline and not to mention if they had to give up a successful career, certification, schooling, or family to follow you around the globe to support you in your leadership role. Although spouses are not in uniform, they serve the country in pretty profound ways and with mostly thanklessness from the Air Force.

One quick story on the benefit of leadership spouses. It was my Group Commander's wife who babysat my first-born son during a time of my wife transitioning out of the service. It was another leadership spouse who helped my wife after she went back into the hospital days after having our son. It is their kindness, now more than a decade later, that we still have eternal gratitude.

• After the five Thank You's, you need a transition to get off stage . It is awkward if you simply say thank you and walk away. There needs to be a transition for what is next: the work. One practical suggestion is to say you look forward to working with everyone, or getting to work, or that you hope to meet everyone in the coming days.

Shouldn't the Incoming Commander lay out expectations or give the troops insight into how you lead?

No. This is not the point or the forum. You can save that for a Commander's Call you will have in the next 30 days after you have a clue what is going on in the unit. You still shouldn't think you know everything after those 30 days. You will hear rules of thumb spanning 60-120 days before you understand the unit or units well enough to decide where to focus. This is the subject of another post.

Bottomline : This is a ceremony honoring the out-going commander; pay respect and gratitude for the honor you have been given and then exit the stage.

I wish you well during your command and your next endeavor.

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Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at a Ceremony for the Chief of Staff of the Army's Relinquishment of Responsibility and the Sergeant Major of the Army's Change of Responsibility (As Delivered)

Well, good morning, everyone.

I understand that there may be some classmates here from USMA class of '81.

I don't know if they are or not. I didn't hear them, Jim.

Welcome. Thank you, Secretary Wormuth. We're lucky to have you as our Secretary of the Army.

And I'm glad to be here with so many distinguished guests and military leaders—including General Milley, who knows a thing or two about being the Chief of Staff of the Army. General, thank you for your dedication and your leadership of the Joint Chiefs.

Today, we salute the exceptional service of General Jim McConville and applaud his tremendous work as the 40th Chief of Staff of the Army.

I'm also honored to congratulate Sergeant Major of the Army Tony Grinston on his stewardship of the enlisted force, and to welcome our new Sergeant Major of the Army, Michael Weimer.

But above all, we're here to celebrate the United States Army.

You know, nearly 250 years ago—even before the United States declared its independence—our new republic stood up an Army. And ever since, American soldiers have had one core mission, and that core mission is to fight and win our nation's wars.

That takes tenacity. It takes teamwork. And it also takes transformation.

So Secretary Wormuth, and General McConville, and Sergeant Major Grinston have been leading the Army's most sweeping transformation in more than 40 years.

Today, the entire Army enterprise is updating itself to ensure that our soldiers stay ready for any challenge that the 21st century can throw at them.

The Army is becoming a multi-domain force.

You are modernizing your inventory of advanced capabilities with long-range precision fires, and next-generation combat vehicles, and missile defense, and more.

The Army also has brought its doctrine into the 21st century.

And you've created new organizations that can provide more and better capabilities to combatant commanders, and strengthen our partnerships around the world, and sustain the fight whenever and wherever needed.

You know, I've seen that in action. And it's pretty impressive.

In Europe, I've met with our soldiers defending NATO's Eastern Flank and training Ukrainian troops who are fighting for their freedom against Russia's cruel war of choice. And in the Indo-Pacific, I've talked with American soldiers who are working alongside partner forces to strengthen stability and deterrence across the region.

Now, as you heard Secretary Wormuth say, throughout all these changes, the Army is putting people first. And that has been General McConville's philosophy throughout his career as Chief.

So the Army has been investing in housing, increasing access to child care, making moves easier, and much, much more. And the Army is making sure that all of our soldiers can contribute the full range of their talents and their skills.

And as General McConville always says, "Winning matters." But there is no winning without our people. So Jim, I want to commend you and your team for the fierce dedication to our soldiers and to their families.

Today, the United States Army is the strongest army, and we have the strongest military, that the world has ever known. And it's amazing the distance that the Army has traveled since I took the oath myself back in 1975.

And all that progress has been powered by patriotism.

It comes from Americans from all walks of life who volunteer to support and defend our Constitution, and to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and to protect our country and our founding values of freedom and democracy.

Now, we're marking the 50th anniversary this year of the start of our All-Volunteer Force. And every American soldier today chose to serve. They chose to sign up. They chose to risk their lives for the common defense.

And in return, they rightly expect that the U.S. military will take care of them and their families.

And all our troops expect and deserve tested and seasoned leaders who are fully focused and fully empowered to make the hard calls.

Unfortunately, today, for the first time in the history of the Department of Defense, two of our services will be operating without Senate-confirmed leadership.

And as you heard Secretary Wormuth say earlier, 301 nominations for our general and flag officers are being held up.

So let me be clear. In our dangerous world, the security of the United States demands orderly and prompt transitions of our confirmed military leaders. 

Great teams need great leaders.

That's central to maintaining the full might of the most lethal fighting force on Earth.

It's vital for our global leadership—and for the trust and confidence of our outstanding network of allies and partners.

The failure to confirm our superbly qualified senior uniformed leaders undermines our military readiness. It undermines our retention of some of our very best officers. And it is upending the lives of far too many of their spouses, children, and loved ones.

And this disruption is the last thing that America's military families deserve.

But I'm confident that we'll get this fixed. And I'm confident that we can all agree on our deeply American duty to stand for those who choose to wear the cloth of our nation. And I am confident that the United States Senate will meet its responsibilities and swiftly confirm our 41st Chief of Staff of the Army.

The next Chief of the Army will continue the momentum that General McConville has built over the past four years.

General McConville has led with strength, vision, and an unshakable determination to drive change.

Now, General McConville's training as a soldier started all the way back in Quincy, Massachusetts. In fact, he used to play "Army" with a kid who lived down the street by the name of Joe Dunford. To be fair, Joe always thought that they were playing "Marines."

But either way, it turned out to be pretty good training. And Jim McConville went on to graduate from West Point in the class of 1981.

Chief, I'm hearing some rumblings over there. I think you may have a presence. Not sure.

One summer, Jim visited Fort Knox. And he got to fly in an OH-58 Kiowa warrior helicopter, which was piloted by a Vietnam-era pilot. And right then and there, Jim knew that he wanted to fly in the Air Cav.

So he became an infantry officer with an aviation specialty—which he calls the best of both worlds. And he has been the first aviator ever to serve as the Army's Chief of Staff.

Jim's distinctive viewpoint, sometimes from thousands of feet in the air, has served him well—from leading soldiers to serving as the G-1, where he developed a deep understanding of what soldiers and their families need most, to his time as the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.

Now, according to Jim, the best thing that ever happened to him was meeting his wife, Maria, when she was a Second Lieutenant serving at Fort Ord.

Maria McConville has an impressive career as a dietician, a fitness trainer, and a health coach. And even while running her own business, she has always focused on empowering military spouses and families. So Maria, thank you for all of your service and all of your commitment.

And the two of you have raised a whole family of Army officers: Major Michael McConville; Captain Jessica Nanzer—who, for good measure, married a fellow Army officer, Lieutenant Ryan Nanzer; and Captain Ryan McConville.

You are an extraordinary and exemplary military family. And I want to thank all of the McConvilles for your service.

General, we wish you and the family all the best for a well-deserved retirement.

Today, I am also proud to honor Sergeant Major of the Army Grinston as he heads into his own retirement.

Tony is the real deal. He's a battle-tested warfighter and an artilleryman. He's a graduate of Ranger, and Airborne, and Drill Sergeant, and Air Assault Schools. He's a brilliant strategist and a master of tactics.

And when the game is on the line, with seconds left on the clock, and you need to win, you give the ball to Tony.

You know, when I was CENTCOM Commander, I saw Tony lead our troops in combat in Afghanistan. And in Iraq, he was the senior enlisted leader for one of our division headquarters.

And so for 36 years, Tony has lived by the NCO creed: "No one is more professional than I."

And Tony, I know that you'll probably take retirement just as seriously as you've taken the NCO creed. I heard that when you go golfing, Tony, you demand to walk all 18 holes. But Tony, even the most professional golfers take carts—so you might want to think about that going forward.

Tony, I don't know if you have relaxation on your agenda after taking off the uniform, but you've definitely earned it. An incredible job.

And let me also thank Tony's wife, Alexandra.

Alexandra has a master's degree in education, and she works in Washington at the German embassy. And over the years, she's spent so much of her time supporting military families—from financial assistance to helping children and spouses further their education. And she's helped make sure that families grieving the loss of a loved one get the resources and the care that they need. 

Let me also thank their two daughters, Sophia and Isabella, for being Tony's rock all these years.

Again, Tony, we wish you all the best in your next chapter. Congratulations, soldier.

Now, today we passed the colors to our new Sergeant Major of the Army, Michael Weimer.

Mike earned his Green Beret back in 1996. And for more than 20 years, he has served as an Army special operator to complete missions around the globe. He's fresh off of leading our troops at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

And I know that his dedication and his professionalism are going to make him a fantastic 17th Sergeant Major of the Army. So thanks for taking on this new post to lead our soldiers and to give them the support that they deserve.

I also want to thank your wife, Kimberly, and your daughters, Ansley and Zoe, for serving right alongside you.

And I know that you'll make sure that this service remains "Army strong," and everyone can "be all that they can be."

Ladies and gentlemen, it was true even before we were a country: America's soldiers fight to win. And that's exactly what you'll do for every challenge ahead.

We'll deter conflict where we can. But if we have to defend ourselves, we will fight, and we will win—and we will win decisively.

And that's because of the leaders who we're honoring today. It's because of all our selfless soldiers who raise their hands to serve. And it's because of your commitment to make our country stronger and our world safer.

The United States Army has never failed in its mission for the American people.

And it never will.

May God bless our United States Army. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

Thank you very much.

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Change of Command Sample Speech for keynote or guest speaker

Many times a military change of command ceremony or change of responsibility ceremony have a top commander, keynote or guest speaker who highlights the accomplishments of both incoming and outgoing commander. Whether the military chance of command speech is for Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard, it will share reoughly the same structure. Whether it is a ceremony for a company, brigade or battalion, wing or installation-level, the only change is the formality. The higher-up the change and the larger the ceremony, the more formal your remarks should be. There are a few basic rules to follow and the rest is just adding something of yourself or something personal.

How long should the keynote or guest speaker talk?

The key note or guest speaker is generally higher ranking than the leaders changing command and may be one of the highest ranking people at the chance of command ceremony. To decide how long to speak, figure out if you are the only guest speaker, where the ceremony will take place and whether there will be a formation. In general, If the ceremony will be in a comfortable environment, there are no other keynote speakers and most people will be sitting, you can speak for 10-12 minutes. If there is a formation, if it will be very hot or cold, if the guests are standing or if there are multiple speakers, you'll be better to keep it short. In that case, speak between 5-7 minutes max.

Commander's Introduction

Whenever you speak, someone is going to introduce you, and that may include brief remarks on who you are. If you have certain accomplishments you want highlighted or certain things you DON'T want highlighted, find out who is introducing you and tell them (or their aide if it is a superior commander), what you'd like said. Give them about two weeks notice. Have a copy of your bio and official photo ready to send to them.

Change of Command Sample Speech for keynote, top commander or guest speaker

Distinguished Guests, General name of VIP here and Mrs. name of VIP's spouse here , and (name any VIPs such as generals or civic leaders such as mayors and their spouses who should be recognized - ask protocol for help);

Welcome to today’s ceremony and thank you for attending this important occasion.

Today one of the leading units in training excellence is saying goodbye to their commander, outgoing commander's name , and welcoming a new leader, incoming commander's name .

When you look at unit name ’s accomplishments over the last few years, it’s apparent that outgoing commander's name and his/her team have contributed vastly to installation name and our team. Under outgoing commander's name ’s leadership, the brigade/batallion/unit has been recognized by higher headquarters for everything from their forward-thinking training concepts to top-notch troop preparation and active family and unit support. (Fill in with specific accomplishments)

The unit name was recognized by higher headquarters or installation for fill in accomplishments . In the past two years in fact, fill in accomplishments .

They led the way in fill in accomplishments and were selected to conduct fill in accomplishments . The unit took on the challenge and performed brilliantly.

The unit also fill in accomplishments .

So, I think you could say outgoing commander's name and his/her team have had their hands full.

The outgoing commander's name has done an excellent job in ensuring every Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine was superbly trained, mentally and physically fit, and prepared to meet the demands of a deployment. The unit’s success has a great deal to do with the experienced leadership of outgoing commander's name . He has high standards, he pushes his/her staff hard, but it is no more than what he knows the capable members of unit name can do.

We will be sorry to lose outgoing commander's name . He has been an exceptional driving force in the installation name , and a great colleague. outgoing commander's name , we will be sorry to see you go.

However, the unit will be gaining a truly great leader in incoming commander's name . I’ve heard nothing but great things about her abilities. She respects and values her team, and I have no doubt he'll/she’ll bring great ideas and enthusiasm to unit name . All of you in unit name can feel confident that you’re getting an outstanding new commander.

There is no doubt that the strength of our service, the strength of our installation name and the strength of unit name is in dedicated people, a strong team. The personnel of unit name are a great example of what it means to be unit name , branch or installation name's motto (ie: Semper Fi, Army Strong). I expect nothing but excellence in the coming years from outgoing commander's name , incoming commander's name and the personnel of unit name .

More information : We hope this page was helpful and provided you with some information about How to write a chance of command or responsibilty speech for guest speaker or keynote . Check out our main page for more articles here Can U Write .

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Army Change of Command Ceremony

In the military and many other organizations, commanding officers conduct a change of command between the incoming commander and the outgoing commander.

The change of command ceremony is a formal passing of responsibility, authority and accountability of command from one leader to another.

In the Army, the change of command ceremony is conducted at all levels from the company to Army level.

Prior to assuming command, it’s imperative that you have a change of command ceremony.

If you don’t have a change of command ceremony, you are doing the outgoing commander an injustice and you are setting up the new incoming commander for failure.

A change of command is a military tradition that represents a transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit or command. The history, tradition, and accomplishments of the command are embodied in the colors. The passing of colors from an outgoing commander to an incoming commander ensures that the unit and its Soldiers are never without official leadership , represents a continuation of trust, and signifies an allegiance of Soldiers to their unit’s commander. ~  U.S. Army

Simply put, you must have a formal change of command ceremony.

Your change of command ceremony can be elaborate or simple.

That decision should be made between the incoming and outgoing commanders.

You can host the ceremony at a hotel, parade field or at your unit.

Your location will be determined by budget constraints, training time available and command guidance from higher headquarters.

Overview of the Change of Command

In the Army National Guard and Army Reserves, most change of command ceremonies take place at the unit armory.

However, I have seen change of command ceremonies on the parade field, in a gymnasium, in a unit parking lot and at a variety of other locations.

At a minimum, you should have the higher headquarters commander, outgoing commander, incoming commander, family members, a formation of Soldiers and the unit guidon or colors present.

Maximum Soldier participation is ideal, but if your unit has schedule conflicts, you can use a smaller element of your total troops.

Change of commands are rooted in rich military history, dating back to the 18th century.

At that time, flags were developed with color arrangements and symbols unique to each unit, and served as a rallying point and reminder of allegiance to their leader during battle. ~ SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE

Just keep in mind that you want your formation to accurately reflect the size of your unit .

During the change of command, the outgoing commander gets to address their unit one last time.

They will have the opportunity to thank family members, Soldiers and anyone else they want to.

Therefore, the change of command ceremony provides closure to the outgoing commander and enables the incoming commander a fresh start.

Normally, the higher headquarters commander, outgoing commander and incoming commander speak at the event.

Most change of command ceremonies last between 30 and 60 minutes in length.

Some high-level change of command ceremonies such as a Division or Corps Headquarters can last nearly two hours.

Please keep in mind that your Soldiers are standing at attention or parade rest the entire time.

Brevity is essential.

The last thing you want is to have several Soldiers “fall out” during the ceremony.

Planning Your Change of Command Ceremony

The secret to conducting a successful change of command ceremony is preparation.

The outgoing leader’s UNIT  has the primary responsibility to plan the event.

Typically, the S1, Readiness NCO, First Sergeant and/or XO plan the event.

They must coordinate with the incoming commander, outgoing commander and higher headquarters commander to determine a change of command date.

Once a date is established, the outgoing commander must conduct backwards planning.

Some key planning considerations include:

1. Designated Time & Location : The first part of the planning process is to set a date.

Once you have a date set, your next objective is to secure a location for the change of command ceremony.

If possible, keep it local.

Consider a parade field, your armory, the gymnasium or any other place in close proximity to your unit.

2. Identify Personnel to Attend : Next, you must identify VIPs and key personnel to include.

These are the guests.

They could include politicians, parents, friends, family members and senior military officers.

Once you have a list of participants, you should vet the list with your higher commander and the incoming commander.

After they approve the list, you can move to the next step of the planning process.

3. Create Invitations : Your next goal is to have your support staff prepare invitations for the change of command ceremony.

They can purchase invitations or use a computer software program to create invitations for the event.

Be sure to have someone spot-check the “proof” before they are mailed out to the invitees.

4. Order Flowers, Gifts and Refreshments : The next step is to order flowers for the outgoing and incoming commanders’ spouses.

You should also ensure the outgoing commander gets their military award, such as a Meritorious Service Medal or Army Commendation Medal.

Normally, the outgoing commander gets a replica of the unit guidon in a nice custom frame.

Don’t forget to order refreshments for the event either.

5. Conduct Rehearsals : Several days before the event and on the day of the event, Soldiers and key leaders should conduct a change of command ceremony rehearsal.

This will help work out the kinks and ensure the change of command ceremony is a success.

6. Conduct The Event : Finally, your last step is to conduct the actual change of command.

If you have planned well, things should go smoothly. After the event, spend 30-60 minutes “socializing” and saying “goodbye.”

After that the outgoing commander should leave, and let the new commander assume their responsibilities.

By following the steps above, you should have a successful change of command ceremony.

Next, we’re going to briefly discuss how to successfully prepare your change of command speech.

Tips for Preparing and Giving Your Change of Command Speech

Typically, the outgoing commander gives a longer speech than the incoming commander.

In most company change of command ceremonies, the outgoing Company Commander speaks for five to ten minutes.

The Battalion Commander normally speaks for five to ten minutes and the incoming commander usually speaks for two to five minutes.

After all, the change of command ceremony is really for the outgoing commander.

The incoming commander simply wants to introduce themselves, thank the Battalion Commander for the opportunity to command, and say a couple nice words about the outgoing commander.

If you are an outgoing commander, you should spend a couple hours preparing your change of command speech.

Listed below are some useful tips to help you prepare your speech.

1. Set a Time Limit – Typically a good change of command speech is approximately 10 minutes or less.

Five minutes is ideal.

You don’t want to be long-winded, but you need enough time to say what you want to say.

2. Decide Who You Want to Thank – Make a list of everyone you want to thank.

This includes your spouse, First Sergeant , Battalion Commander, parents, fellow Army Officers, NCOs and Soldiers, peers, etc.

If you are going to have high ranking officers at your event, don’t forget to thank them.

3. Finalize Your Change of Command Speech – Get a piece of paper and write out an introduction, main body and conclusion.

Organize your main points in a logical order.

Edit it a few times to get it the way that you like it.

Consider sharing it with a few of your trusted peers to get their input.

4. Rehearse – Rehearse your change of command speech to yourself and your spouse.

Speak out loud.

You could even tape record yourself and then evaluate yourself.

Eliminate any points that don’t flow smoothly.

If necessary, add or revise any additional points that you miss.

5. Create 3 x 5 cards with Main Points – Once you have rehearsed your speech, put the main points on 3 x 5 cards.

You will bring these with you when you give your change of command speech, in case you blank out or lose your train of thought.

Your goal is NOT to read your speech, but to talk naturally.

6. Give Your Speech – Finally, the big day has come.

You are about to give your change of command speech.

If you have rehearsed and practiced, everything should go fairly smoothly.

And, if you mess up a little bit, you have your 3 x 5 cards for a reference.

As you give your speech, stay on point and remember that your Soldiers are standing in formation!

Keep it short and on point.

Remember, the secret to success is preparation.

By following these six simple steps, you should give a successful change of command speech.

Great symbolism is attached to the ceremonial aspects of a change of command. An inspection and review of soldiers, gun salutes, as well as a military band will often be incorporated into the ceremony. For a Command Sergeant Major, the transferred item might be a saber during a Change of Responsibility, while for a Chaplain, the item might be the passing of a Clerical Stole. ~ Wikipedia

Final Thoughts

In summary, the Army Change of Command is a very important event.

Whether you are the incoming or outgoing commander, make sure you do your due diligence and prepare.

Sit down with your staff and map out the event.

Follow the advice in this article and you will be well on your way.

What are your thoughts?

What tips can you share for a successful change of command ceremony?

Leave a comment below to let me know what you think.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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21 thoughts on “Army Change of Command Ceremony”

Thank you so much for the info! My husband will be taking part in a change of command ceremony next month as an ingoing company commander. I'm not sure what my duties are as his spouse. He hasn't informed me of much. I would like to get him a small gift, but not sure what tradition states. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

The best gift to give your husband is to be supportive. He’s going to have less family time now and a big responsibility for the next couple years. Just being understanding will make a big difference. If you’re looking for a gift, I offer a good Company Commander Training Course on this website that would really help him out. Thanks for the comment.

Thank you so much for the info! My husband will be taking part in a change of command ceremony next month as an ingoing company commander. I’m not sure what my duties are as his spouse. He hasn’t informed me of much. I would like to get him a small gift, but not sure what tradition states. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Check out our Company Commander Training Course. That would make a great gift.

Who pays for the flowers?

Usually the full time staff just pools their money together.

no I know this is late, but the commanders pay for the flowers for their spouses.

I've also noticed that having a quality MC and someone else (First Sergeant) who can really run the ceremony will help things move smoothly and allow the incoming and outgoing commanders to concentrate on thanking their families and soldiers.

You don't need to run on forever while your people are in formation, there will usually be a reception afterwards where you can chat and press the flesh.

I agree. I can’t stand when people give long speeches while their Soldiers stand there in formation.

Great job in putting together the complete plan for having a change of command ceremony. If these steps are followed in order, whoever is setting the ceremony up will enjoy that it flows smoothly.

I agree about rehearsing those speeches. I also think you should set a timer so that you know it isn’t too long or short. The 3×5 cards do work quite well too. If you have practiced your speech, and you just use the cards as subject reminders, the speech will go great.

I agree Greg. Rehearsing is vitally important. Every 15 minutes you spend planning probably saves you an hour of time later on down the road!

I am finding this web site extremely useful as I have been perusing it to assist me with what to expect as a commander. I have just recently been selected for a Battalion Command for a hospital detachment. Can anyone help me regarding the preparation for the change of command ceremony as to what will be expected from me and what I need to include if I am expected to give a speech as the incoming commander? Thanks, Chuck

Congrats on getting selected for Battalion Command. I hope you enjoy your experience and I wish you all of the best.

The Army Change of Command Ceremony is really cool. I’ve been to a few with my husband and really enjoyed them. I like how they read the unit history, the bio of the incoming and outgoing commander and have a nice formal ceremony.

They sure are a lot of fun. I always enjoyed going to these change of command ceremonies as a spectator. It’s not much fun if you are a Soldier in formation though!

Thank you for the overview of a change of command ceremony and all the things to consider. Your advice about the Company Commander taking time to write down notes is important. It’s key to be prepared for important events like this so that the event and experience is honored with the respect it deserves.

Preparation really is the key to success with a good change of command ceremony. A few minutes of planning and rehearsing can make a big difference.

I just finished my change of command ceremony last weekend. I spent 28 months in Company Command. It was a great experience, but I was definitely ready for the next chapter in my military career. We had a very nice ceremony and set the tone for the new Company Commander. I’ve experienced a bunch of emotions this past week, but I’m sure I’ll feel much better over the next few weeks.

Congrats on finishing up Company Command, Brian. I wish you continued success.

This is a great post about the Army Change of Command. My father in law is a former Battalion Commander during the Vietnam era. He always talks about this time in command and cherishes those memories. I’ve never served in the military, but it sounds like command is a tough, yet fun job.

That’s awesome that your father in law was a former Battalion Commander. What unit did he serve with? Please tell him “thanks” for his service.

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How to Write a Change of Command Speech

The Military Leader

Chances are you’ve been in one of the following situations: a member of a formation suffering under a long change of command speech; an audience member embarrassed for the speaking commander because his speech is really bad; or a soon-to-be ex-commander staring at a blank page on the morning of your own departure speech. Sound familiar?

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. The change of command speech is important but it can sneak up on you in the distracted days before the big event. Here are some thoughts to consider as you prepare for the transition. There are sections for Incoming Commanders, Outgoing Commanders, and some general tips.

Going Into Command

• Keep it short (2–3 minutes)
• Introduction: welcome the guests, but don’t run down the entire laundry list of guests. You’ll be the third person to speak, and the guests will feel plenty-welcomed by then.
• Be sure to thank: The Chain of Command for the opportunity; The Outgoing Commander & his/her family; Your spouse & family; The troops, and express gratitude for the honor of joining their team; Write two sentences about the privilege to command and how you’re looking forward to what the future will bring;
• Do not say “ All policies and procedures remain in effect. ” First, it sounds ridiculous and cliché. Second, there’s no regulation or policy requirement to do so, nor is there any expectation that Army regulations and UCMJ are no longer applicable if you don’t say those seven words at your change of command. And finally, it’s not true. You’re going to change every policy letter when you resign it under your name. And, heaven forbid, you might actually change some things because, well, you’re the commander and you have the authority to do so.

Leaving Command

• Keep it short(ish) (8–10 minutes)
• Introduction: go ahead and thank the key guests for attending. Welcome General Officers and equivalent Sergeants Major by name. Welcome your commander by name. Welcome all others by group, unless an individual stands out in come significant way (Medal of Honor recipient or “Honorary Colonel of the Unit”).
• Include some mention of why we serve, and of the concepts duty, honor, and sacrifice.
• Honor fallen/wounded Soldiers, as appropriate
• Relive the story of your time in command, but from the Soldiers’ perspective, not yours.
• Retell some stories using individual names ( “The company’s success during NTC grew out of the individual efforts of men like squad leader SSG Goldman, who single-handedly breached the wire obstacle on the final objective.”)
• Thank: Your Chain of Command; The unit for their sacrifice; Your staff and higher headquarter’s staff for putting up with you; Adjacent and supporting/attached units as necessary; Your key staff members; Your senior enlisted leader; Your spouse

General Tips

• Rehearse your speech NO LESS THAN 10 TIMES!!
• Get feedback from your peers and spouse on content and timing.
• Don’t ad-lib unless you are a gifted orator or an extrovert who can carry a crowd.
• Type your speech in big font and wide paragraph spacing, put the pages into sheet protectors, and prepare them in a three-ring binder at the podium.
• Have a second fully functioning binder in case the Adjutant loses the primary.
• If you’re cool, consider putting the formation At Ease
• DO NOT NOT NOT forget to thank your spouse! There is no chance that you would have been as successful as you were without him/her, so you should probably state that fact publicly.
• And finally…please don’t cry.

Here are a couple resources I found after writing this post. CanUWrite.com : Good points for both Incoming and Outgoing commanders. Check out what CompanyCommandSolutions has to offer, too. (Looks like the author stopped posting but there is some good content there.)

What other tips and thoughts do you have about preparing for a change of command? Leave a comment below.

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Complete Archive of Military Leader Posts

Originally published at www.themilitaryleader.com on November 6, 2014.

Written by The Military Leader

Providing resources and insight for leaders of all professions to grow themselves & develop their teams. Hosted by a US Army officer. www.themilitaryleader.com

Text to speech

Helping you read the right things….

The Change Of Command Speech – A twist on the “thank everyone I know” Speech

With 20 years of Naval Service under my belt, I’ve attended many, many change of command speeches. Some good, some not so, but they all follow a typical pattern.  The Presiding Officer first talks; he first thanks the crowd, distinguished guests, former CO, ongoing and off going Commanders and the team who got arrived at 0600 to set up the venue. The off-going Commander, who should be the most thankful person in the room for his successful command tour then steps up and takes the pulpit. He thanks the guest, his extended family, wife and kids, personal guests, his Command, the Chiefs, Petty Officers, Officers, his Commodore, the Commodores staff, and on and on and on. Finally, the oncoming Commander takes the floor. By this time the crowd feels plenty thanked. In my three for four minutes that the oncoming Commander has allotted for a Change of Command speech, I decided to do things a bit differently. Rather than spending the first 3 minutes of my speech thanking individuals, I intend on spending my short time on the stage expressing appreciation for the specific mentorship and personal development energy that others put into me.   The intention is that I am not only expressing appreciation, but I am encouraging my guests to develop others using my personal development as an example.

<<<SMILE>>>>

Thank you, It is an honor to be here……

When thinking about today there are two terms that I use and frequently come back to.

“ I am blessed”  – and   “It is an Honor to serve ”.

And it is truly an honor of a lifetime to be in the Navy as a Naval Officer , be in command in San Diego in February .     Smile, Wait  laugh…

As I look out at the audience there are so many people that contributed, either in a large or small way to this point.

While I would love to spend the next hour, two hours, or more going down the list and specifically calling them out by name and deed, unfortunately time precludes that.

Rather I want to focus on some specific deeds that I am most grateful for. Deeds that were not only pivotal in my personal and professional development; but that can be applied to the next Midshipman Smith, Ensign Smith, or LT Smith.

• I so appreciate those people who prayed for me.
• I’d like to thank those precious few people who sat down with me and gave me honest, hard and critical feedback. Those hard discussions have been game changers in my professional development.
• They did that not based on anything I did, or what they saw in me but based on their character and their commitment to invest in individuals
• Have you know…. I have a much better answer now

Two  Specific Thanks:

To the woman who raised me – My mother

To the woman who made me a better man – my wife

I am truly humbled…..

Now, for all those people above that helped me get to where I am today, the only thing I can offer you in return is more hard work.   Keep it up. Starting today I need your  help even more now.

Jason/Don/Chris/Clint – Keep it up, push me to be a better man

Mom and Dad – Keep it up

Mentors/Coaches/Ricks/AGC/XO – Keep it up, keep me accountable , honest , and push me to excellence .

And when I’m gone, go find someone else. Go find the next the next MIDN, ENS, LT Laney, and go pour yourself into and develop that person

What you did worked for me and I would be very grateful if you continue that work and pass it on.

Please pass that on. I am so grateful for the above examples

Thank you, it is an honor to be here and an honor to serve….

<<< Smile, Pause, Exit>>>>

If you need some additional resources for your military change of command speech below are two additional links. The first one is far superior to the second and contains a standard template for a Change Of Command Speech.

• The Military Leader – How to write a change of command speech
• Can U Write – Incoming change of command speech

Example Change of Command Speeches:

• General Martin Dempsey – 2019 TRANSCOM off going change of command speech
• General Robert Kehler – 2011 STRATCOM oncoming change of Command speech
• Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider – 2019 US FORCES Japan Change of command Speech
• Gen. Brooks – United States Forces Korea Change of command speech .
• Secretary Mattis – 2018 SOUTHCOM Change of command ceremony speech
• Admiral Harry Harris – 2018 Pacific Fleet Change of command speech
• General William Shelton – 2011 Air Force Space Command oncoming change of command speech

If you have a Military Change of Command speech, either oncoming or off going, that you would like to share with the DODReads audience please drop us a line and let us know. We would love to hear your perspective.

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Change of Responsibility Ceremony for first sergeant at 200th MP Command

By Sgt. Elizabeth Taylor 200th Military Police Command

Johnson-Nunn believes in the “Be, Know, Do” model, an old-school approach to leadership, according to her: Be who you are and live your personal core values, Know the job expected of you, and Do what’s required. Johnson-Nunn attributes her father, a retired command sergeant major, and mother, a former member of the Women’s Army Corps, for shaping her into the woman she is now.  “The values my family instilled in me at a young age, such as put God first, be honest, and treat others how you would like them to treat you, were instrumental in forming the leader I am today,” said Johnson-Nunn. The first sergeant is a company’s highest-ranking enlisted member and is responsible for ensuring that a unit’s Soldiers train and prepare for deployment.  “The first sergeant is the lifeblood of the Army; there is no substitute of the position or any question of its importance,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jenifer Zitzke, third platoon sergeant and ceremony narrator. “Their principal duty is the training of Soldiers. When they are exceptional, their units are exceptional.” Johnson-Nunn was selected to serve as HHC’s first sergeant to aggressively improve Soldier readiness numbers. Besides her old-school approach to leadership, Johnson-Nunn also brought self-awareness to the role.  She would often ask herself, “Are you well-rounded enough to be able to handle the things that arise as the senior advisor at this level? “If you can’t put the mirror to your own face and look at yourself, then that’s a problem. You have to be able to recognize your strengths and your weakness, and be able to fix yourself,” said Johnson-Nunn. This was her second time as first sergeant of HHC. She previously held the position in 2010, a time when she was new to the senior enlisted ranks. She saw an opportunity to grow into the leader she wanted to be.  However, the increasing demands of an advancing civilian career and personal family matters impeded her ability to grow as much as she wanted in that role. “I don’t like to half-perform. Either I am going to do it, and I am going to do it with everything that I am, or I am not going to do it at all.” In 2016, Johnson-Nunn was asked to return to improve the company in its monthly and quarterly statistics, which provide a snapshot to higher echelons of the Army. She immediately set her focus on identifying areas where she could make the most impact. “I came back into the situation and saw how people were currently operating, identified changes that needed to be made and determined the best method to approach Soldiers in a way that would motivate them to meet standards.” Adages like, “when you always do the harder right versus the easy wrong you are going to come out on the right side,” “work smarter, not harder” and “be firm but fair,” are staples in her value toolbox when undertaking difficult situations. “It has been difficult but always gratifying,” she said. Johnson-Nunn attributes her staff and her Soldiers in the overall success as first sergeant. She relied on her Soldiers in those subtle moments when the road ahead seemed difficult. Moments such as when one Soldier yelled, “Good morning first sergeant” at the top of her lungs at first formation, or the Soldier who sought her guidance on personal life decisions.  Johnson-Nunn often shares her belief of “it takes a village,” which refers to the people in your life who help you reach your potential. During the ceremony, she tearfully thanked her village: Soldiers she led, peers she depended on, leaders who mentored her, and the family and friends who supported her. “Thank you for challenging me and making me want to be a better first sergeant,” she said. To the incoming first sergeant, 1st Sgt. Zachary Wriston, Johnson-Nunn said, “I leave to you one of the best units in the Army. May you continue to help us improve, taking us from where we are to where you see us going.”

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Change of Command

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Fort Sill hosts Change of Charter Ceremony

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - Fort Sill and Fires Center of Excellence hosted a Change of Charter Ceremony for the Army Capability Manager – Air Defense Artillery Division on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

Colonel John Redford is leaving behind his role as Army Capability Manager and now passing over the responsibility for the unit’s mission to Colonel Carina Kelley.

Col. Kelley is very excited to join the Lawton-Fort Sill community again and ready to serve the Air Defense Artillery Division.

“So having come back after 14 years, it is amazing to be back. A lot of things have changed, but it’s also the same thing that has remained family and team here at Lawton-Fort Sill,” Col. Kelley said.

Col. Kelley will be responsible for helping to deliver future capabilities to the Air Defense and Col. Redford will be in charge of the Capability Development Integration Directorate at Fort Sill.

“So the transition into the role of Fire senior director, I look forward to learning all about offensive Fires inside the house and promise to put every bit of the same amount of devotion to those who build this as I did to Defense Fires inside the house,” Col. Redford said.

Copyright 2024 KSWO. All rights reserved.

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Attacks on Walz’s Military Record

By Robert Farley , D'Angelo Gore and Eugene Kiely

Posted on August 8, 2024 | Updated on August 12, 2024 | Corrected on August 9, 2024

In introducing her pick for vice presidential running mate, Kamala Harris has prominently touted Tim Walz’s 24 years of service in the Army National Guard. Now, however, GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance and the Trump campaign are attacking Walz on his military record, accusing the Minnesota governor of “stolen valor.”

We’ll sort through the facts surrounding the three main attacks on Walz’s military record and let readers decide their merit. The claims include:

• Vance claimed that Walz “dropped out” of the National Guard when he learned his battalion was slated to be deployed to Iraq. Walz retired to focus on a run for Congress two months before his unit got official word of impending deployment, though the possibility had been rumored for months.
• Vance also accused Walz of having once claimed to have served in combat, when he did not. While advocating a ban on assault-style weapons, Walz said, “We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at.” Update, Aug. 12: The Harris campaign says that Walz “misspoke.”
• The Republican National Committee has criticized Walz for misrepresenting his military rank in campaign materials. The Harris campaign website salutes Walz for “rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.” Walz did rise to that rank, but he retired as a master sergeant because he had not completed the requirements of a command sergeant major.

A native of West Point, Nebraska, Walz joined the Nebraska Army National Guard in April 1981, two days after his 17th birthday. When Walz and his wife moved to Minnesota in 1996, he transferred to the Minnesota National Guard, where he served in 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery.

“While serving in Minnesota, his military occupational specialties were 13B – a cannon crewmember who operates and maintains cannons and 13Z -field artillery senior sergeant,” according to a statement released by Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, the Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer.

According to MPR News , Walz suffered some hearing impairment related to exposure to cannon booms during training over the years, and he underwent some corrective surgery to address it.

On Aug. 3, 2003, “Walz mobilized with the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery … to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The battalion supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey. Governor Walz was stationed at Vicenza, Italy, during his deployment,” Augé stated. The deployment lasted about eight months.

“For 24 years I proudly wore the uniform of this nation,” Walz said at a rally in Philadelphia where he was announced as Harris’ running mate on Aug. 6. “The National Guard gave me purpose. It gave me the strength of a shared commitment to something greater than ourselves.”

Walz’s Retirement from the National Guard

In recent years, however, several of his fellow guard members have taken issue with the timing of Walz’s retirement from the National Guard in May 2005, claiming he left to avoid a deployment to Iraq.

Vance, who served a four-year active duty enlistment in the Marine Corps as a combat correspondent, serving in Iraq for six months in 2005, advanced that argument at a campaign event on Aug. 7.

“When the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it,” Vance said. “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him, a fact that he’s been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people that he served with. I think it’s shameful to prepare your unit to go to Iraq, to make a promise that you’re going to follow through and then to drop out right before you actually have to go.”

In early 2005, Walz, then a high school geography teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School, decided to run for public office. In a 2009 interview Walz provided as part of the Library of Congress’ veterans oral history project, Walz said he made the decision to retire from the National Guard to “focus full time” on a run for the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District (which he ultimately won in 2006). Walz said he was “really concerned” about trying to seek public office and serve in the National Guard at the same time without running afoul of the Hatch Act , which limits political speech by federal employees, including members of the National Guard.

Federal Election Commission records show that Walz filed to run for Congress on Feb. 10, 2005.

On March 20, 2005, Walz’s campaign put out a press release titled “Walz Still Planning to Run for Congress Despite Possible Call to Duty in Iraq.”

Three days prior, the release said, “the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard. … The announcement from the National Guard PAO specified that all or a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.”

According to the release, “When asked about his possible deployment to Iraq Walz said, ‘I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization and I am unable to comment further on specifics of the deployment.’ Although his tour of duty in Iraq might coincide with his campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional seat, Walz is determined to stay in the race. ‘As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq.'”

On March 23, 2005, the Pipestone County Star reported, “Detachments of the Minnesota National Guard have been ‘alerted’ of possible deployment to Iraq in mid-to-late 2006.”

“Major Kevin Olson of the Minnesota National Guard said a brigade-sized contingent of soldiers could be expected to be called to Iraq, but he was not, at this time, aware of which batteries would be called,” the story said. “All soldiers in the First Brigade combat team of the 34th Division, Minnesota National Guard, could be eligible for call-up. ‘We don’t know yet what the force is like’ he said. ‘It’s too early to speculate, if the (soldiers) do go.’

“He added: ‘We will have a major announcement if and when the alert order moves ahead.’”

ABC News spoke to Joseph Eustice, a retired command sergeant major who served with Walz, and he told the news organization this week that “he remembers Walz struggling with the timing of wanting to serve as a lawmaker but also avoiding asking for a deferment so he could do so.”

“He had a window of time,” Eustice told ABC News. “He had to decide. And in his deciding, we were not on notice to be deployed. There were rumors. There were lots of rumors, and we didn’t know where we were going until it was later that, early summer, I believe.”

Al Bonnifield, who served under Walz, also recalled Walz agonizing over the decision.

“It was a very long conversation behind closed doors,” Bonnifield told the Washington Post this week. “He was trying to decide where he could do better for soldiers, for veterans, for the country. He weighed that for a long time.”

In 2018, Bonnifield told MPR News that Walz worried in early 2005, “Would the soldier look down on him because he didn’t go with us? Would the common soldier say, ‘Hey, he didn’t go with us, he’s trying to skip out on a deployment?’ And he wasn’t. He talked with us for quite a while on that subject. He weighed that decision to run for Congress very heavy. He loved the military, he loved the guard, he loved the soldiers he worked with.”

But not all of Walz’s fellow Guard members felt that way.

In a paid letter to the West Central Tribune in Minnesota in November 2018, Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr — both retired command sergeants major in the Minnesota National Guard — wrote, “On May 16th, 2005 he [Walz] quit, leaving the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion and its Soldiers hanging; without its senior Non-Commissioned Officer, as the battalion prepared for war. His excuse to other leaders was that he needed to retire in order to run for congress. Which is false, according to a Department of Defense Directive, he could have run and requested permission from the Secretary of Defense before entering active duty; as many reservists have.”

“For Tim Walz to abandon his fellow soldiers and quit when they needed experienced leadership most is disheartening,” they wrote. “When the nation called, he quit.”

Walz retired on May 16, 2005. Walz’s brigade received alert orders for mobilization on July 14, 2005, according to the National Guard and MPR News . The official mobilization report came the following month, and the unit mobilized and trained through the fall. It was finally deployed to Iraq in the spring of 2006.

The unit was originally scheduled to return in February 2007, but its tour was extended four months as part of President George W. Bush’s “surge” strategy , the National Guard reported. In all, the soldiers were mobilized for 22 months.

Responding to Vance’s claim that Walz retired to avoid deploying to Iraq, the Harris-Walz campaign released a statement saying, “After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform – and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families.”

Walz on Carrying a Weapon ‘in War’

Vance also called Walz “dishonest” for a claim that Walz made in 2018 while speaking to a group about gun control.

“He made this interesting comment that the Kamala Harris campaign put out there,” Vance said, referring to a video of Walz that the Harris campaign posted to X on Aug. 6. “He said, ‘We shouldn’t allow weapons that I used in war to be on America’s streets.’ Well, I wonder, Tim Walz, when were you ever in war? What was this weapon that you carried into war given that you abandoned your unit right before they went to Iraq and he has not spent a day in a combat zone.”

In the video , Walz, who was campaigning for governor at the time, talked about pushing back on the National Rifle Association and said: “I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt. … I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can do [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] research. We can make sure we don’t have reciprocal carry among states. And we can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at.”

But, as Vance indicated, there is no evidence that Walz carried a weapon “in war.”

Update, Aug. 12: In an Aug. 10 statement to CNN, the Harris campaign told CNN that Walz “misspoke.”

“In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke,” campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt said in the statement. “He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them.”

As we said, Augé, in her statement, said Walz’s battalion deployed “to support Operation Enduring Freedom” on Aug. 3, 2003, and “supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey.” During his deployment, Walz was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, and he returned to Minnesota in April 2004, Augé said. There was no mention of Walz serving in Afghanistan, Iraq or another combat zone.

In the 2009 interview for the veterans history project, Walz said he and members of his battalion initially thought they would “shoot artillery in Afghanistan,” as they had trained to do. That didn’t happen, he said, explaining that his group ended up helping with security and training while stationed at an Army base in Vicenza.

“I think in the beginning, many of my troops were disappointed,” Walz said in the interview. “I think they felt a little guilty, many of them, that they weren’t in the fight up front as this was happening.”

In an Aug. 8 statement addressing his claim about carrying weapons “in war,” the Harris campaign noted that Walz, whose military occupational specialties included field artillery senior sergeant, “fired and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times” in his 24 years of service.

Walz’s National Guard Rank

The Republican National Committee has criticized Walz for saying “in campaign materials that he is a former ‘Command Sergeant Major’ in the Army National Guard despite not completing the requirements to hold the rank into retirement.”

Walz’s biography on the Harris campaign website correctly says that the governor “served for 24 years” in the National Guard, “rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.” 

Walz’s official biography on the Minnesota state website goes further, referring to the governor as “Command Sergeant Major Walz.”

“After 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005,” the state website says. 

Walz did serve as command sergeant major , but Walz did not complete the requirements to retire with the rank of command sergeant, Augé told us in an email. 

“He held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion,” Augé said. “He retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.”

This isn’t the first time that Walz’s National Guard rank has come up in a campaign. 

In their 2018 paid letter to the West Central Tribune, when Walz was running for governor, the two Minnesota National Guard retired command sergeants major who criticized Walz for retiring before the Iraq deployment also wrote: “Yes, he served at that rank, but was never qualified at that rank, and will receive retirement benefits at one rank below. You be the judge.”

Correction, Aug. 9: We mistakenly said a 2007 “surge” strategy in Iraq occurred under President Barack Obama. It was President George W. Bush.

Editor’s note: In the interest of full disclosure, Harris campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt was an undergraduate intern at FactCheck.org from 2010 to 2011.

Editor’s note: FactCheck.org does not accept advertising. We rely on grants and individual donations from people like you. Please consider a donation. Credit card donations may be made through  our “Donate” page . If you prefer to give by check, send to: FactCheck.org, Annenberg Public Policy Center, 202 S. 36th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104. 

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Apr. 11, 2011- Assumption of Responsibility Ceremony remarks

By Gen. Martin E. Dempsey April 13, 2011

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I noticed the "groom's side" is a lot quieter than the bride's side over here. Let's see if we can pick it up a notch. Thank you all for being here today to welcome the Dempsey family back to Washington DC.

I do want to start by saying how much Deanie and I regret that George and Sheila Casey are not here today with us. The 36th Chief of Staff and Sheila have been mentors, role models, and friends to us. As you all know, the Casey's are fighting through a very deep tragic personal loss. But it won't surprise you to know that the way in which they are fighting through it is as inspirational as the way in which they have led our Army - with great strength, with great dignity and with great resolve. As my first official act as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, I applaud and celebrate the service of George and Sheila Casey. (Applause) Through their 41 years of service, they have ensured that our Army remained the most capable fighting force on the planet. God Bless them.

Thanks to all of you who planned, rehearsed, reorganized, planned again, scaled up, scaled back, re-planned, rehearsed, reorganized and finally executed this ceremony today. If that's not an example of an adaptive Army, what is' Let's give the people who put this thing together a round of applause. (Applause)

I am always inspired by the sight on the field of the famous 3rd Infantry Regiment - the Old Guard. And I'd like to dispel any rumors right from the beginning of my tenure that I intend to rename it Dempsey's own. At least not for now... (Laughter)

I want to note that this is the fourth ceremony at which our esteemed Secretary of Defense, Dr. Robert Gates, has been present as I have either taken or relinquished command. Now I'm not sure what it means that I've changed jobs four times, and that in that time, you've remained in one job. It seems that one of us can't hold a job and the other can't seem to shake his! What I do know is that the Nation is blessed by your service, and I am excited to be back among your circle of advisors. I feel the same kinship and loyalty to our Secretary of the Army, John McHugh. Challenging times require tireless, dedicated and visionary leaders, and Secretary McHugh is every bit of that and more. Mr. Secretary, I'm proud to be on your team.

I want to give a shout out to that rough looking bunch over there - my classmates of the Class of 1974 from West Point. (Applause) That explains why they were noisy here. Almost 40 years ago, we chose as our class motto "Pride of the Corps," and in doing so, we set a very high standard for ourselves in the service of our country. I just couldn't be more proud of what our class has accomplished. We are business, medical, academic, governmental and military leaders. We care about America. Your presence here today is a testament to your love and support of our Army and its Soldiers. Well done Class of '74. But I do want to encourage my security detail to keep an eye on them since they are children of the 60's and have a reputation as a rather mischievous bunch.

I note with great joy the presence here today of many of our international friends and partners. I'll mention two in particular: General Sir Peter Wall, my counterpart from Great Britain, and General Babakir al Zabari, my counterpart from Iraq. Thank all of our international partners for what you do to help us promote our common interests. (Applause)

As I stood at the shelter behind us preparing for the ceremony, I saw a parade of former and current mentors. I saw protAfAgAfAs go by. I saw friends and colleagues. I can't possibly mention them all, but I will tell you this: I am very well aware that it is on your shoulders that I stand here today. So thank you all for what you've done.

To the members of my family, especially the kids: Chris, Julie, Megan, Kory, Caity and Shane, who is currently deployed in Africa, and to the grandkids: Kayla, MacKenna, Luke and several players to be named later, thank you for your love and support through the years and for celebrating this day with us. I think the Army is especially blessed by its new First Lady, Deanie, and I'll have more to say about that in just a moment.

You know, events such as these seem to me to be best captured in images, not necessarily words. I imagine my Grandmother Bridget - a 16 year old Irish immigrant, widowed mother of three in her early 40's, janitress of a small public school in Bayonne, New Jersey. I imagine her bragging to Saint Peter that her oldest grandchild is the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. I have no doubt she's up there doing that. I imagine my mother Sarah, who's seated down here, the unassuming and saintly matriarch of the Dempsey family, quietly remembering that were it not for her insistence, I would never have gone to West Point in that tumultuous summer of 1970. I imagine what it must have been like for my father-in-law and mother-in-law, Tom and Marge Sullivan, who are also here with us, to give their daughter to a young, idealistic Calvary Officer headed off to Cold War Europe. By the way, they joined us here today despite the fact that my father-in-law is in the middle of cancer treatments. Now that's Army Strong! (Applause)

I now have new images in my life. Each morning in our quarters I walk past the images of my predecessors as Chief of Staff: Pershing, MacArthur, Marshall, Eisenhower, Abrams, Sullivan, Shinseki. I step out on my porch and I see the symbols of our nation: the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Capitol. And then on the way to the Pentagon I drive past row after row after row of those who have fallen in the service of our nation, including hundreds who have fallen while under my command in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These images are almost overwhelming. I say almost because I know that inside this great Army are hundreds of thousands of Soldiers, Leaders and Families - Active, Guard and Reserve - on whom I can always rely to do what's right. I say almost overwhelming because I am joining a team of Joint Chiefs who are equally dedicated to protecting America and promoting our values. I say almost overwhelming because we are teamed with scores of dedicated civilians who share a passion for the nation and for its Army.

You know, sometimes life is just about starting a journey based on faith. I have faith that we have a team that will figure "it" out, whatever "it" becomes. To paraphrase one of our great poets, Maya Angelou, "I have many rainbows in my clouds of doubt."

To my high school sweetheart Deanie, the most beautiful and beaming rainbow in my life, thank you for accepting yet another adventure. I know I asked you to stick with me just through Battalion Command, but I think we both knew that walking away from the Army that we both love was never really in the cards as long as the Army still wanted us around. I look forward to sharing this experience with you over the next four years. To the care of your three kids, your three grandkids, and one really maintenance-heavy husband, I now add about three million Soldiers and Family members for you to be concerned about. And I have absolutely no doubt you'll live up to that task. (Applause)

Now as an Irishman, I tend to be a little superstitious. I know that surprises some of you. So I often research the history of the date on which I am about to give some remarks.

On this day in 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated his throne and was subsequently banished to the Isle of Elba. On this date in 1951, President Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his command of U.S. Forces in Korea. On April 11 1962, the New York Mets lost their inaugural baseball game and went on to lose 120 games out of 160. Sorry, Pop. I am hoping that I can turn the tide on this April 11th thing.

You should know that I've always considered service in the Army a privilege. And that privilege is even more pronounced and more evident when our very way of life has been challenged as it has been these past ten years. I stand before you today with confidence that whatever challenges confront us in the future, your Army will respond with the same courage and resolve with which it has responded over the past 235 years.

Today, our Army is in transition. This is certainly not a new phenomenon for us. We are always in transition. However, this particular transition is somewhat unique in that we have persevered through a decade of war with an all-volunteer Force. That's an incredible testament to America's Soldiers and their Families. Their resilience, their courage, and their dedication to the mission are inspirational. I, for one, several years ago, had some doubts about whether we could persevere this long with an all-volunteer Force. And there's a lesson in this for me and for you. Never underestimate the patriotism and willingness to sacrifice of this new greatest generation. They will carry us forward into the future as their predecessors have so honorably in the past. I'm humbled by their sacrifices; I'm inspired by their willingness to serve in time of war; and I'm encouraged that we have a solid foundation on which to build as we prepare our Army for future challenges.

You know, their expectations of us senior leaders are as simple as they are profound: they trust that we will provide them the resources they need to succeed in the fights in which they find themselves currently engaged. And they trust that we will have the wisdom and resolve to prepare them for the future challenges that they know surely await them.

Now, to chart a path for America's Army that preserves and builds upon our legacy, we must center our sights on who we are as an Army. Therefore, I'd like to share just a few themes that the Secretary of the Army and I have discussed on this first day of my tenure as the Chief of Staff.

We will provide whatever it takes to achieve our objectives in the current fight. We will win in an increasingly competitive learning environment. That's the domain in which we must prevail. We will develop a shared vision of our Army of 2020. We will design units and prepare Soldiers and Leaders to overmatch their adversaries. We will master our fundamentals and develop deep global expertise. We'll change. Change is inevitable, but when we change, we'll change to contribute to the versatility and relevance of the nation's military instrument of power. We'll maintain a reputation as good stewards of America's resources. We'll remain connected to America. And we'll succeed in all of that because we'll reconnect, engage, empower and hold our leaders accountable.

Now between now and the Army birthday, I will engage our Army's senior military and civilian leaders, my fellow Service Chiefs and the Combatant Commanders and then publish a document that charts our way ahead, including a portfolio of initiatives intended to deliver on the themes I've just mentioned. I look forward to the collaboration and the dialogue.

Now many of you know we're involved in a campaign this year to examine ourselves as a profession. Related to that and one of the early insights of this campaign of study, is that I want to highlight an important quality, not necessarily a quality that is unique to the military, but a quality that must define us as a profession. That quality is trust. Trust between leader and led. Trust among Soldiers, leaders, Families, our wounded and our Veterans. Trust between those of us in uniform and the elected leaders whom we serve. Trust among us and our partners. Trust among the Active, and Reserve components of our Army. Trust between this institution and the American people.

My commitment and expectation of this great Army is that we will work on strengthening the bond of trust among those with whom we work, among whom we support, and among those who march with us into battle. On that foundation of trust, we will overcome any challenge that we confront in the future.

Thanks again for being here today. I'll end by quoting Benjamin Franklin. Ben Franklin said, "Well done is better than well said." So beginning right now, I'll get to work to deliver on some of these promises. God Bless America, and its Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and their Families. Thank you very much. Army Strong!

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Fact-checking claims about Tim Walz’s military record

Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz's military record has been under scrutiny since he was announced as Kamala Harris's running mate.

Historic accusations made by some veterans have been revived by his opposite number, Republican JD Vance, who himself served in the military.

Mr Vance says that Mr Walz intentionally avoided combat in Iraq by resigning shortly before his unit was deployed there, and that he has been dishonest about his role in the military.

We’ve looked into his record and the military service of Mr Vance.

Why did Walz retire from the military?

Mr Vance claimed: “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the army and allowed his unit to go without him.”

Several former National Guard colleagues have previously publicly voiced frustrations at Mr Walz’s decision to leave their unit before deployment to Iraq - but others have rejected assertions that he retired to avoid combat duty.

Mr Walz served for 24 years in the Army National Guard, a military force which is usually deployed within the US to respond to events such as natural disasters, but is also part of the US Army’s reserve.

In February 2005, while he was still in the National Guard, Mr Walz filed an application to run to be elected as a member of Congress from Minnesota.

The following month it was announced that there would be “a possible partial mobilisation of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard” to Iraq within the next two years, according to a 2005 press release from Mr Walz’s congressional campaign.

In the statement, Mr Walz said: “I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilisation.”

He added: “I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race."

Mr Walz then retired from the National Guard in May 2005, which he later said was so he could focus fully on running for Congress.

It’s unclear exactly when he submitted his resignation notice. We’ve asked both the National Guard and the Harris campaign when this was.

His National Guard unit received orders to mobilise for Iraq in July 2005, and was sent there in March 2006, according to the battalion’s history page.

Did Walz ever experience combat?

Mr Vance also says Mr Walz made “dishonest” claims about serving in combat.

He referred to a video promoted by the Harris campaign of Mr Walz talking about gun control.

In the clip , from 2018, he said that he "carried weapons in war".

On 9 August, the Harris campaign issued a statement saying that “in making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke”.

Mr Walz went to Italy with the National Guard in 2003 as part of support for the US war in Afghanistan - but he was never deployed to an active war zone.

On 13 August, Mr Walz responded directly to his critics, recalling that he'd joined the National Guard aged 17: "I served for the next 24 years for the same reason all my brothers and sisters do, we love this country. Then in 2005 I felt the call of duty again, this time giving service to my country in the halls of Congress."

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Did he mislead about his rank.

The Trump campaign says Mr Walz “continues telling the lie that he retired as a Command Sergeant Major”.

His official biography on the Minnesota state website says “Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005.”

He did reach the rank of command sergeant major near the end of his service, but he officially retired one rank below as a master sergeant.

A national guard spokesperson told the BBC that “his rank reverted to master sergeant on May 15th, 2005, for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the US Army Sergeants Major Academy. He retired the following day.”

What's Vance's military record?

Mr Vance served for four years in the US Marine Corps.

He was deployed to Iraq for about six months in 2005 as a military journalist, although he didn't experience combat.

“I was lucky to escape any real fighting,” he said in his 2016 memoir.

He left the Marine Corps in 2007 as a corporal to attend Ohio State University.

This article, first published on 8 August, was updated to reflect a statement on 9 August from the Harris campaign on Mr Walz's comment that he carried weapons "in war". It was further updated to add a response on this issue from Mr Walz on 13 August.

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Victorian government cops criticism over youth crime as crucial debate over justice bill approaches

Analysis Victorian government cops criticism over youth crime as crucial debate over justice bill approaches

When the Victorian government announced its plans last year to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, it was a signature Daniel Andrews move — bold, progressive, and tackling a politically dangerous issue.

In the year since state cabinet approved the decision, three innocent people have allegedly been killed in incidents involving young people in Victoria.

The most recent was on Sunday — when 19-year-old Davide Pollina was killed in a collision with an allegedly stolen car in Melbourne's north .

Police said the two occupants of the car fled. A 16-year-old boy was arrested a short time later. It's alleged he was a passenger in the car.

In July, a 28-year-old man was tragically killed after allegedly being hit by a stolen vehicle driven by a teenager — who breached bail within 48 hours of being arrested.

In January, 33-year-old doctor Ash Gordon was fatally stabbed following a confrontation with two teenagers who allegedly broke into his house in Doncaster.

In all three cases, the alleged offenders are youths, but not young — aged 16 and 17.

But with the state in the grip of a spike in violent youth crime, that hardly seems to matter.

This week, Victoria's upper house will debate the government's youth justice bill, which would cement the first step of Daniel Andrews's plan by raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12.

But the next stage — raising the age from 12 to 14 in 2027 — has now been abandoned by the government , drawing condemnation from a broad range of legal groups.

'We're getting smashed on it': Labor MPs voice concerns over policy

Labor MPs have been openly voicing deep concern over community perceptions of crime for months.

In July, Police Minister Anthony Carbines conceded to The Age: "At 14, there are more serious offenders causing more serious crimes, and that's why there's a far longer lead time the government has put on that.

"The jury's out on whether we'll be able to demonstrate that, but it remains our commitment at this time."

But as one senior Labor figure told the ABC: "There's no way we're doing it. We're getting smashed on it."

And so it was that on Sunday — the day of the most recent death, and in the week Victoria's upper house is due to debate the bill that would raise the age to 12 — Andrews's successor Jacinta Allan was refusing to commit.

"I am not going to be drawn on what further changes the government may be considering," she said.

"There is a pattern of behaviour here that is causing harm and it's also causing me, and so many in the community, concern. We know we need to do more."

On Monday, she was evasive once again.

"We're having discussions … with Victoria Police, the courts, and the youth justice sector about what more we need to do," Allan said.

"I'm not going to pre-empt any discussions we're having as a cabinet or with colleagues. We are open to considering all options that are available to us."

Finally, on Tuesday, the premier fronted journalists to announce she would break the promise made by her predecessor.

"Twelve is where it [the criminal age of responsibility] will stay," she said.

"This decision has been made at a different time, by a different government, with a different premier."

Victoria pledges to go it alone on raising the age

In hindsight, it's not hard to see why Andrews went big on the age of responsibility. He first flagged the idea in February 2023, just three months after a landslide election win (and seven months before his surprise retirement).

At the time, there was a push for a national consensus between the states and the Commonwealth on raising the age to 14, but it was faltering.

As the nation's most senior premier, in its most progressive state, Andrews characteristically decided Victoria would go it alone.

Youth justice advocates from the Law Institute to the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) strongly backed the move.

The dumping of phase two of the plan is not the first time Victorian Labor's progressive ambitions on youth justice reform have been mugged by political reality.

In October last year — one month after a 14-year-old boy was abducted and attacked walking home from school — the government pulled the youth elements out of its bail reform legislation.

At the time, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes acknowledged "public perceptions of a youth crime crisis" influenced the decision.

Instead of the planned change to a presumption of bail for all but the most serious youth offenders, it instead announced trials of ankle bracelets in March this year.

Government faces criticism from both sides of youth justice debate

The response from some legal groups to the government's decision on Tuesday to walk away from its promise to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 has been thunderous.

 The VALS said the demonstration of "weak leadership and regressive decision making" demonstrated that the Victorian government wrote its promises "in the sand".

Its CEO, Yorta Yorta and Narrandjeri woman Nerita Waight, said it was "devastating" to see "hundreds of hours" of work on the reforms abandoned in the face of media scare campaigns over youth crime.

"We trusted the Victorian government and we have been betrayed by their treacherous decision to abandon our children," Ms Waight said.

"It will be very hard for Aboriginal communities to trust this government now that we know she [Premier Jacinta Allan] will ditch their commitments."

Victoria Police, on the other hand, has always opposed raising the age to 14. 

"Because of the seriousness of offending — the levels of offending that we see with 12 and 13-year-olds involved in some really, really significant crimes — [raising the age to 14 is] not something I would support," Commissioner Shane Patton told Channel Seven in March.

Law and order is tough for governments, particularly Labor governments. Youth justice especially so.

In Queensland, a select cross-party committee fell apart amid bickering over how to manage the issue.

Victoria has a statistically lower rate of youth crime than all other jurisdictions except SA and the ACT, and a youth crime rate that was actually falling in the years before the pandemic.

But since then, not only have crime rates spiked, there's been a change in the type of crime being committed by young offenders — towards more crimes against the person — the kind of crime that goes the heart of community safety.

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War latest: Russian state TV gloomy over Ukraine invasion of border towns - as Putin ally issues dire warning over Ukraine's actions

An ally of the Russian president says Ukraine's invasion of Kursk has left the planet on the brink of a "third world war" - while commentators on Russian state TV have made gloomy assessments. Listen to a Daily podcast on how Ukraine broke through Vladimir Putin's "red line" as you scroll.

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Volunteers in Moscow are packing trucks with humanitarian aid intended for residents of Russia's Kursk region.

Authorities say more than 120,000 residents in the border region have already had to leave their homes as a result of the Ukrainian invasion.

Evacuations have also been taking place this week in the adjacent Belgorod region.

At least seven people have been injured and a fire has erupted at a shopping centre after a series of Ukrainian strikes in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, a Russian official in the region has claimed.

Denis Pushilin, the Kremlin-installed governor of the city, claimed the strikes sparked a fire of more than 10,000 square metres at the "Galaktika" shopping centre.

Seven civilians, including a teenager, were wounded, he said, with no deaths reported.

Sky News cannot independently verify the governor's claims. A video posted online shows smoke and flames rising from a shopping centre, purportedly in Donetsk.

Alleged strikes come as Russia captures Donetsk territory

Mr Pushilin's claim of Ukrainian attacks comes as Russian forces advance and capture more territory in Ukrainian-controlled areas of the Donetsk region.

Earlier, the Russian defence ministry claimed its forces had taken control of the village of Serhiivka, while authorities ordered the rapid evacuation of the nearby city of Pokrovsk (see 11.16am post).

Pokrovsk, which has been in Moscow's sights for several months, is one of Ukraine's main defensive strongholds and a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region. 

Its capture would compromise Ukraine's defensive abilities and supply routes.

Our security and defence analyst Michael Clarke has provided some insight into what happened when 100 Russian soldiers in Kursk were captured in one go by the Ukrainians this week.

The soldiers of Russia's 488th rifle regiment, who were mostly conscripts, "ran away" when they came up against a large unit of Ukrainian troops, Clarke says.

As they fled, they were fired on by Chechen forces on the Russia side, who were "there to stop them running away," he explains.

"They went the other way, went back towards the enemy and surrendered. So a whole company of young conscripts, all 18, 19-year-old boys, surrendered," adds Clarke.

But he says that while "several hundred" prisoners have been taken by Ukraine during its invasion of Kursk, "it hasn't all gone the Ukrainians' way".

"There's evidence that the some of the big Ukrainian units have been ambushed as well. So the fighting is very fragmentary - it's not coherent."

You can watch Clarke's full analysis of today's developments here:

Russian forces are being deployed in "greater force" to Kursk after initial "disarray and disorganisation", the UK Ministry of Defence has said.

In its latest intelligence update, the MoD said Ukrainian troops had penetrated the Russian border region "to a depth ranging between 10-25km over a frontage of approximately 40km".

It said Russia's established defensive lines and border forces were "not prepared" for last week's attacks.

"After initial disarray and disorganisation, Russian forces have deployed in greater force to the region, including likely from elsewhere along the contact line," the MoD said.

"They have also begun to construct additional defensive positions in an effort to prevent Ukrainian advances."

The thinking behind Ukraine's shock invasion of Russian border regions over the last two weeks has been the subject of intense speculation since it began on 6 August.

An aide to Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now offered a possible insight into Kyiv's plan, saying the incursion in Kursk was needed to convince Russia to start "fair" talks on a peace settlement.

Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Kyiv needed to "inflict significant tactical defeats on Russia".

"In the Kursk region, we can clearly see how the military tool is being used objectively to persuade [Russia] to enter a fair negotiation process," he wrote in a post to X.

Mr Podolyak said Ukraine was "not interested" in occupying Russian territory and was waging an "exclusively defensive war".

"Signs of pessimism" about the Russian response to Ukraine's cross-border invasion in Kursk have started to emerge on Russian state TV, according to footage posted on social media.

The invasion seemed to catch Vladimir Putin unprepared, with a major retaliation yet to materialise and Russian forces struggling to stop Ukrainian advances.

Some pro-Kremlin military bloggers and Russian commentators have claimed that Russian forces are pushing back Ukrainian troops - but in one clip posted by BBC journalist Francis Scarr, "signs of pessimism have emerged" - on channels that tend to engage exclusively in cheerleading for the country's military prospects.

Filmmaker and state pundit Karen Shakhnazarov said: "We could lose if such blunders continue. And this isn't defeatism, it isn't scaremongering."

An air raid alert has ended in all but Ukraine's most eastern regions.

Earlier, more than half the country was issued with alerts warning of potential ballistic missile attacks.

Ukraine has said there is no sign Russian military pressure is receding along the eastern front more than a week after Kyiv's surprise cross-border push into Kursk.

Russian forces have taken control of the village of Serhiivka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, according to the Russian defence ministry. 

Sky News cannot independently verify the claim.

Ukraine has also ordered the evacuation of the Donetsk city of Pokrovsk today as Russian forces approach.

The head of the city's military administration urged residents not to delay leaving their homes in a post to Telegram.

"The enemy is advancing at a fast pace," Serhiy Dobryak said.

Ukraine says capturing Donetsk is a battlefield priority for Moscow. Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned yesterday that Pokrovsk and other nearby towns were "facing the most intense Russian assaults".

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said Russian forces were maintaining a "relatively high offensive tempo" in Donetsk as Moscow "prioritises advances in Ukraine's east" despite the pressure of the Kursk invasion.

Russian attacks across the Donetsk region have killed three civilians and injured five more in the last 24 hours, a local official said.

An anti-Putin group of Russians fighting on behalf of Ukraine has urged Russian soldiers in Kursk to surrender and fight with Kyiv's army.

In a call to Russian servicemen on Telegram, the Freedom of Russia Legion paramilitary group said political officers were telling them "to blow yourself up with your own grenade". 

"But hundreds of Russian soldiers ignore the criminal order, choosing to live rather than die for a new colonel's medal or another Gerasimov mansion," it said.

The statement called on Russian troops in Kursk to "voluntarily surrender" to Ukraine's army as some of their "comrades" have already done.

"For those who wish to continue fighting for a normal future for Russia, there remains an ironclad option to join the legion," it said.

Kyiv claims hundreds of Russian soldiers have been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces since the start of the Kursk offensive.

Ukraine's invasion in Kursk has raised the possibility of an armed provocation of Belarus, according to the Belarusian defence minister.

Viktor Khrenin's said the situation at the border remained "tense", in comments quoted by the state-run Belta news agency.

"Given the presence of Ukrainian armed formations in the border areas, there is a high probability of preparing and carrying out armed provocations on our territory, as well as high-profile actions, including with the involvement of Belarusian nationalist formations," he was cited as saying.

It comes after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally of Vladimir Putin, warned yesterday that Kyiv could attack his country and widen the war. 

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Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition

Tuesday briefing: putin lashes out over incursion.

Plus, A.I. is helping piece together an ancient epic.

By Justin Porter

Putin blamed the West for Ukraine’s incursion

President Vladimir Putin lashed out at the West yesterday over Ukraine’s weeklong incursion into Russian territory. His comments were a sign of how the surprise attack has unsettled the Kremlin.

“The West is fighting us with the hands of the Ukrainians,” Putin said during a televised meeting with his top officials. “The enemy will certainly get the response he deserves, and all our goals, without doubt, will be accomplished.”

Even as Moscow scrambled to respond to the incursion in the Kursk region, Russian forces continued to pummel Ukrainian positions in the east, Kyiv military officials said.

The Kursk region’s acting governor was shown telling Putin by video link that 28 towns and villages were under Ukrainian control. He said Ukrainian troops had pushed nearly 12 kilometers into Russian territory. Separately, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces claimed control of more than twice as much territory, “about 1,000 square kilometers.”

Background: Analysts said that Ukraine’s move had two main goals: to draw Russian forces from the front lines in eastern Ukraine and to seize territory that could serve as a bargaining chip in future peace negotiations. Putin insisted that the attack would not soften his negotiating position.

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