Fort Campbell ushers in new change in command: Farewells and new starts

Every other year, Fort Campbell hosts Change of Command ceremonies to say farewell to one commander, while welcoming in a new era of leadership with another.

Over the past couple of months, there have been a total of two Change of Command ceremonies at Fort Campbell across both the 101st Airborne Division and the Garrison side of the base.

Here's what to know about the changes at Fort Campbell.

'A dream come true for me'

On May 30, soldiers, local leaders and community officials gathered in Fort Campbell to say goodbye to Maj. Gen. Brett Sylvia.

Sylvia assumed command of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell in July 2023 from Maj. Gen. JP McGee.

“Assuming command of the 101st and being back here at Fort Campbell is a dream come true for me,” Sylvia said.

During Sylvia's tenure, the Division pioneered the development of a unique Large-Scale, Long-Range Air Assault (L2A2) capability, and led the U.S. Army in its ‘Transformation in Contact’ initiative designed to prepare the Division for future, large-scale combat and to inform the Army on force design and equipment modernization initiatives, a news release said.

Maj. Gen. Brett Sylvia, outgoing commanding general, delivers a speech during the change of command ceremony, May 30, 2025, Fort Campbell, Ky. The time honored ceremony marks the transfer of command between one commander to the next.

Sylvia and Fort Campbell also welcomed former First Lady Jill Biden and Santa Claus to visit families after the devastating December 2023 tornado.

“Few could have predicted how the events of the next two years would create an environment of unprecedented opportunity and challenge,” Sylvia said in a statement. “And to each of those challenges, the men and women standing before you today didn’t just rise – they soared! Today, I stand before you with great pride knowing that the 101st Airborne Division has not only built upon a tremendous legacy, but also emerged having firmly established itself as the unit of choice for any mission, any time, any place, and against any foe.”

As Sylvia gave his farewells, the base welcomed its 50th commanding general, Maj. Gen. David Gardner.

Gardner arrives from Fort Bragg with extensive operational and strategic experience.

At Fort Bragg, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans, and Training (G-3/5/7), U.S. Army Forces Command. He previously served as the commanding general of the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC). At Fort Johnson, Louisiana, he played a pivotal role in shaping modern warfighting doctrine and preparing Soldiers across the Army for the complexities of combat, a release from Fort Campbell said.

"It is the honor of a lifetime,” Gardner said. “It is unbelievably humbling to join the ranks of the former and current members of our nation’s most storied and recognized division.”

'Thank you for letting me lead your team'

About 150 Fort Campbell military personnel, community and city leaders and family watched June 17, the Change of Command ceremony for Garrison Fort Campbell.

Col. Christopher J. Midberry offers his remarks as the outgoing commander during the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Campbell Change of Command Ceremony at Division Headquarters in Fort Campbell, Ky., Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

As Garrison Commanding Col. Christopher J. Midberry performed his last duty, he passed the baton to new Garrison Commanding Col. James M. Snowden.

For nearly two years, Midberry led the Garrison Fort Campbell through many tragedies and accomplishments.

He oversaw response efforts of the December 2023 tornado that tore through Clarksville and Kentucky and response efforts for the floods in Oak Grove, Kentucky and Clarksville in February and April.

As Garrison Commander, he oversaw the completion of new homes for junior enlisted families, advocated with the Commonwealth of Kentucky to champion a universal Pre-K program, and his team played an instrumental role in the division's drone usage expansion.

"You heard the saying before, 'people fight to serve at Fort Campbell,' and that is so, so true, in my opinion," Midberry said.

As Midberry said farewell, he headed to the Pentagon to serve as Chief of Staff to the Military District of Washington, Joint Task Force, National Capital Region.

Snowden served at Fort Campbell for 11 years before taking his new position. He served as a platoon leader in B Company, a Special Mission Unit Liaison Officer and as Task Force executive officer of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne).

Col. James M. Snowden offers his remarks as the incoming commander during the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Campbell Change of Command Ceremony at Division Headquarters in Fort Campbell, Ky., Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

"It's an absolute honor to be given the opportunity to command at Fort Campbell," Snowden said.

Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at [email protected] or on X at kenyaanderson32. Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at www.theleafchronicle.com.