US military guns lost stolen from North Carolina bases

Fort Bragg, the Home of the Airborne and Special Operations Forces, will welcome a new garrison commander in a change of command ceremony scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Friday, May 31.

Col. Phillip D. Sounia will assume command of Fort Bragg from Col. Kyle A. Reed in a ceremony to be held at the Main Post Flag Pole.

Sounia, a native of Pompano Beach, Florida, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1989 and served as a M1 tank crewman. He later attended and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1995, with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management, and received his commission as a second lieutenant of Armor. 

Sounia is no stranger to Fort Bragg. He served with the 82nd Airborne Division in January 2009, and deployed to Afghanistan that April, as the deputy director for the Commander’s Action Group.  In January 2010, he deployed directly from Afghanistan to Iraq, to serve as the operations officer for 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry (Airborne), 1st Brigade, 82nd Abn. Div.  He returned from Iraq, in August 2010, and served as the squadron executive officer and later as the brigade executive officer, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div.  In 2012, Sounia subsequently served as the commander for 3rd Sqd., 73rd Cav. (Airborne).

Following command, Sounia was selected for the Army’s Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program, where he attended a doctoral program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Public Policy.  Upon completion of his studies, he returned to Fort Bragg to serve as the director, U.S. Army Forces Command Commander’s Initiatives Group.

Sounia’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Combat Action Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab among others.

 

Contributed

Print Friendly, PDF & Email