{"id":6587,"date":"2021-06-25T20:51:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T20:51:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/?p=6587"},"modified":"2021-06-25T20:52:05","modified_gmt":"2021-06-25T20:52:05","slug":"58th-emib-welcomes-new-commander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/ng\/2021\/06\/25\/58th-emib-welcomes-new-commander\/","title":{"rendered":"58th EMIB Welcomes New Commander"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Maj. Brendan Cassidy,\u00a0<\/i>58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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U.S. Army Col. Julie Minde, outgoing commander of the Maryland Army National Guard\u2019s 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade, passes the brigade\u2019s colors to U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, commander of the Maryland Army National Guard, during the change of command ceremony in Towson, Maryland, June 24, 2021.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

TOWSON, <\/strong>Md. \u2013 Members of the Maryland National Guard (MDNG), friends and family gathered at the Ruhl Armory in Towson to attend a change of command ceremony that formalized the transition of authority in the 58th<\/sup> Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade (EMIB) on June 24th<\/sup>, 2021.<\/p>\n

The ceremony signified the transition of one commander to another through the passing of the brigade colors representing the organization. The outgoing commander, Col. Julie M. Minde, received the colors from the Brigade\u2019s Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Metzger. Minde then passed the colors to Brig. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, commander of the Maryland Army National Guard, who then passed them to the new commander, Col. B. Clay Jackson.<\/p>\n

\u201cCol. Minde came at a pivotal time to the Maryland Army National Guard. Her expertise in military intelligence led to the first National Guard unit to perform ISR missions in theater, work with the highest level of governments, while seemingly ensuring ongoing IO battalion missions to the Horn of Africa.\u201d said Birckhead.<\/p>\n

Following the relinquishment of her command, Minde retires after 31 years of distinguished service. She led the brigade during its historic deployment to Afghanistan from May 2020 until February 2021, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Task Force 291 was formed in Maryland of remaining units from the brigade, immediately supporting domestic operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the summer of 2017, I had three themes for the group: honor, gratitude, and commitment\u2026it\u2019s been the deepest honor of years in the Guard to have traveled the last four years with you.\u201d Minde said, reflecting on her time as brigade commander.<\/p>\n

Minde served four years as 58th<\/sup> EMIB commander. Her successor, Jackson, most recently served with the Unified National Guard Bureau (NGB) Operational Plans Team, as the Messaging, Branding and Culture lead officer, in a detailed assignment from his position as the NGB Deputy J2 (Intelligence Directorate).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 58th<\/sup> EMIB was first activated on Aug. 1st<\/sup>, 2015, largely from personnel from the 58th<\/sup> Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (BfSB). The unit can trace its lineage back to 1917, when it was formed as one of two infantry brigades under the 29th Infantry Division. The brigade is composed of seven composite units throughout Central Maryland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n