MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Lt. Col. Leland Suttee took command of 2nd Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, during a change of command ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 30, 2010.
The former commanding officer of 2nd ANGLICO, Lt. Col. Wade Priddy, has served with the unit since June, 2008.
“I was fortunate to work with some exceptional Marines who had a very clear understanding of their mission and what the Marine Corps required of them and the command,” Priddy said. “It was great to be part of a command where people weren’t satisfied with ‘good enough’ – they wanted to be the best and were willing to do what it took to make it happen.”
Priddy will move on to take part in the Af-Pak Hands program which immerses officers in the language and culture of specific regions in order to prepare them for assignments dedicated to the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Even with the excitement the new program offers, Priddy is still going to miss being part of 2nd ANGLICO.
“I think my fondest specific memory was being able to present awards a couple of months ago to some of our Marines who served with 2nd [Marine Expeditionary Brigade] in Afghanistan,” said Priddy. “We sent a detachment of about 50 Marines to Afghanistan from May to December 2009. Of those, about 10 received either Navy Achievement or Navy Commendation Medals with Valor. I had nothing to do with the approval process for the awards. So, it was a great feeling as a commander, sort of like a proud parent, to know other senior officers thought highly of my Marines.”
With the knowledge of his new Marines’ achievements in Afghanistan, Suttee, who is coming from U.S. Joint Forces Command, is hitting the ground running.
“I am excited about the opportunity to serve with and command 2nd ANGLICO,” Suttee said. “I intend to provide continuity in vision and direction while preparing the company for deployment to Afghanistan. My predecessor, Lieutenant Colonel Priddy, has done a great job in establishing a focus on cohesion and in positioning the company for successful pre-deployment training.”