Members of the 5th Signal Command color guard stand at attention during a change-of-command ceremony on July 15, 2016, at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany. Col. Jimmy L. Hall, who took command in May 2014, handed over responsibility to Col. Rob Parker during the ceremony. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany — The leadership at the top signal command in Europe changed hands on Friday, as Col. Jimmy L. Hall turned over the 5th Signal Command to Col. Rob Parker.
Hall led the command, which has more than 1,800 soldiers and civilians, for more than two years.
“He knew the mission, he knew the people, and he had a vision,” Maj. Gen. John B. Morrison, Jr., commander of U.S. Army Network Enterprise, Technology Command, said of Hall.
Hall presided over the command at a time when the cyber threat was growing.
“Threats against our forces and networks are increasing in complexity and frequency,” Hall said in an email to Stars and Stripes before the ceremony. “We remain vigilant against a broad variety of threats and remain poised to respond to those as they occur.”
The last major event of Hall’s time in command was Anakonda 16, a massive multinational exercise held earlier this year in Poland.
He said that ensuring that allies can work together is a priority for his command going forward. “But to do this, we must first be able to communicate effectively with them. Interoperability must continue to be a major focus,” Hall said.
Morrison said 5th Signal would continue to be in safe hands under Parker, who has recently served with Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led counter-Islamic State coalition in Iraq.
“I’ve seen Rob in action in garrison and while deployed — he’s the complete package,” Morrison said of Parker. “Cool, calm, and thoughtful — the consummate professional.”
Members of the 5th Signal Command color guard stand at attention during a change-of-command ceremony on July 15, 2016, at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany. Col. Jimmy L. Hall, who took command in May 2014, handed over responsibility to Col. Rob Parker during the ceremony. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
A soldier salutes during the 5th Signal Command change-of-command ceremony July 15, 2016, at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany. Col. Jimmy L. Hall, center left, handed over responsibility for the command to Col. Rob Parker, center right. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
Members of the 5th Signal Command color guard stand in formation during a change-of-command ceremony on July 15, 2016, at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany. Col. Jimmy L. Hall handed over responsibility to Col. Rob Parker during the ceremony. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
Col. Jimmy L. Hall, right, hands the 5th Signal Command's colors to Maj. Gen. John B. Morrison, Jr., commander of U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, during a change-of-command ceremony on July 15, 2016, at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany. Hall led the formation for more than two years. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
Col. Rob Parker, center, takes the colors of the 5th Signal Command from Maj. Gen. John B. Morrison, Jr., commander of U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, during a change-of-command ceremony on July 15, 2016, at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany. Parker will serve as the command's 22nd commander since its activation in 1974. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
