JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HUSTON, Texas –
Col. Joseph Gardner relinquished command of the 106th Theater Signal Brigade to Col. Chante Pondexter at a change of command ceremony on July 2 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Presiding over the ceremony was Col. (P) Eric J. Van Den Bosch, commander of 7th Signal Command (Theater) and deputy commander of U.S. Army Network Enterprise Command.
In his remarks, Van Den Bosch said under Gardner’s leadership, the 106th continued its long record of success, providing outstanding support to the Army, Department of Defense, and other Federal organizations. He also remarked the Brigade was recognized numerous times for outstanding performance and achievement.
“Joe has positioned this brigade at the forefront of nearly every enterprise modernization effort undertaken by NETCOM on behalf of the Army and DOD over the last two years, to move toward the Unified Network,” Van Den Bosch said.
Gardner thanked command leadership for the opportunity to serve and said he was grateful for the team of Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, and contractors who supported him during his tenure.
“Team 106th — thank you for trusting the vision and being subject matter experts, showing up daily to deliver a reliable, secure Unified Network. Well done,” Gardner said. “Commanding is a team effort, and I was fortunate to have a great command team.”
The 106th Signal Brigade’s new commander, Col. Chante Pondexter, hails from Chicago, Illinois. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve duty in 1996. He holds a master’s degree in information technology and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.
Most recently, Pondexter was Chief Information Officer/G-6 at U.S. Army South at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston. He also previously served as an Army War College Fellow with duty at the National Security Agency, and as commander of the 3rd Joint Communications Squadron, Joint Communications Support Element, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, among many other command and staff positions.
Pondexter thanked Gardner for his service and for improving the performance of the brigade. He said he looks forward to becoming a member of “Team 106th.”
“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve alongside the Soldiers you see before you and the huge complement of civilians that you don’t, that make things happen in this footprint, that operate, maintain, and secure Army networks,” Pondexter said.
The 106th Signal Brigade operates 19 Network Enterprise Centers that support mission partners across 15 states from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. It has over 1,500 Soldiers, civilians, and contractors; supports 170,000 Army personnel; and manages $750 million worth of property and equipment.