By Summer Barkley

Special to the News-Herald

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — Lt. Col. Mark W. Susnis handed over command of Army Field Support Battalion-Afghanistan to Lt. Col. Stanley S. Miller in a change of command ceremony at the battalion Aug. 5, presided over by Col. Christopher L. Day, 401st AFSB commander.

Susnis commanded the battalion since Dec. 5. He previously commanded the field support battalion in Kandahar until it was deactivated in November in a move that began the consolidation of two battalions into Army Field Support Battalion-Afghanistan with responsibility for the entire Combined Joint Operations Area-Afghanistan.

Susnis’ next assignment takes him to Joint Staff J7-Joint Force Development in Suffolk.

“While the brigade footprint in Afghanistan decreased, the mission requirements for the battalion certainly did not,” said Day. “Mark and his team performed brilliantly as the only combat-deployed Army Field Support Battalion in the Army.

“AFSBn-Afghanistan retained the full capability to sustain forces throughout Afghanistan, as well as conducted responsible retrograde throughout the following months.”

Day said Susnis’ command was marked by two specific metrics that spoke of the “truly strategic mission of this battalion.”

“Seventy-one percent of all depot workload for all the U.S. Army organic facilities in 2015 was sourced from the battalion’s retrograded equipment … and 61 percent of all retrograde from Afghanistan was accounted for, dispositioned and shipped from this battalion,” said Day.

“This complex transition in the midst of supporting the warfighter would not have been possible without the professionalism and maturity of the soldiers, Department of the Army civilians and contractors present here today,” said Susnis.

Susnis thanked the leadership of the 401st and the Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade as well as his deputy, his “Iron Majors” and sergeants major.

In addressing Lt. Col. Sam Miller, Susnis said the battalion has a team of seasoned professionals who are ready for the challenges that come with serving in an ever-changing and dynamic environment. He concluded by thanking his family and ending with “Blacksmith 6 signing off.”

In brief remarks, Miller thanked Susnis and his team “for setting me up for success” and said he is “proud and ready to lead this battalion in support of Army Materiel Command, Task Force Muleskinner, USFOR-A and the Resolute Support mission.”