 Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. In addition to today's time-honored tradition of the Change of Command Ceremony, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, will be recognized for the outstanding work completed in support of Marine Corps Force Design 2030. Today, the Marines, government civilians, and contractors assigned to the lab are honored to receive the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Now taking this position in the reviewing area is Brigadier General Kyle B. Ellison. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for honors to Brigadier General Ellison, also the Secretary of Defense, and other departments of the Executive Branch. This period is notably marked by this aggressive partnering and establishment and placement of liaison personnel representatives. The impact of these achievements is far-reaching and enduring, indelibly shaping the Marine Corps as it prepares to fight. The Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer is being carried by Staff Sergeant Jehovi Contreras from the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. In honor of the total force of Marines, government civilians, and contractors of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Staff Sergeant Contreras is accompanied by Colonel Shrekler, Mr. Chris Stillings, and Mr. Dave Raskov. Ladies and gentlemen, we now come to the ceremony's most solemn moment, the actual passing of command, the bout of colors of Marine Corps units symbolize the authority and accountability of command. Transferring the colors during the ceremony symbolizes the ruling pushing of command by Brigadier General Ellison, and by accepting the colors, Brigadier General Durant accepts command and confirms his total commitment to the Marines and Sailors that he will command. Sergeant Major Singley is delivering the colors to the commanding general. From Commendate of the Marine Corps to Brigadier General, and are directed to proceed and report for duty, to the Deputy Director for Current and Integrated Operations, J33 Joint Staff, signed Eric M. Smith, General, United States Marine Corps, Commendate of the Marine Corps. From Commendate of the Marine Corps to Brigadier General Simon M. Durant, effective 1118 April 2024, you will assume the duty... The Office of Secretary of Defense loves that. So I couldn't be more proud, Kyle, about what y'all have done, but I know for a fact that you ain't what makes this situation run. It's gone. I know, I've seen it. So, gone to you and the family, thank you. And now, I knew Kyle a little bit before, when I was doing my time at the pinnets working for Secretary of Agents, Colonel, he was the aide to the commanding general Ames, and that's where I kind of got to know Kyle. But now I know Kyle, they were friends, and we'll be friends for life. So, Kyle, thank you. You have every reason to be very, very proud as you have the colors to symbolize the things. Central, to you and the team, welcome. I know, William, and I'm sure Smash is going to be pumped to come in and have you here running the lab work. And that, I'll just close with saying, you know, we always, technically, the lab works in the commanding. Right, Kyle? Take it. I don't think you want it. This is the coolest lab. Everything that Kyle Dunn has done, and everything Simple will do, is by the way, to do the fleet. They inform us, they make it possible for us to do it. So it's not the commanding's lab anymore. This is the coolest lab. Kyle, thank you. Simple. Welcome aboard, brother. All right. And I'll turn the floor to my second boss. So, you know, it's my second boss. I'm honored to do the work we deserve. Thanks for all you do. I'm also thankful for my peers and friends that are in the audience, and you're all new to VR. Whether it's having a beer, or whether it is at a meeting, they mentor me every single day. And I mean mentor for a reason, and I say that. And we're not in this business alone. And I'm very grateful for all of you. For OAD, and for Beast, Life's Foot's Team, and CDD, we don't do anything by ourselves. I don't know if they'll often see or not. I know who you're trying to meet. I'm just grateful, brother, for having you and the entire team as battle buddies with the lab. And that's important because this economic development and integration is not more important. And I'm also, quite frankly, thankful for my family. So, my mom and dad are here. Any foundation on selfless service comes from them. This drove a driven into me as a young child. My mom and dad, and my mother and father-in-law are here. They're in full support always. Every single one. And you know that for that goal. And it's for that reason I'm thankful for this man right here. You know, because you have a commanding general with an awesome spouse and a crispy covenant. That's a warfighter. That is a deep thinker and a visionary. Somebody who gets mag-tap inside and out. And most importantly, somebody your enemy generally cannot withstand. And so you're inheriting a group of warfighters that is truly strong in our school. So, welcome aboard. Thank you. I'd like to share this change of command for all of us. I'd like to thank the international allies and partners that made the trip down from Washington, D.C. Like General Ellison said, we can do everything we can shoulder to shoulder. So, thank you for your time today. I'd like to thank the staff of McWill. I'd also like to thank the staff of the basic school. I think Reggie's here for allowing us to do this change of command on this hollow ground, which is where every Marine officer starts their service to our nation. And then finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank Brigadier General Cowell Ellison and his lovely bride and dog for spending the last two years of your life being a warfighter. You've never been a war essential. It is absolutely my honor and privilege to lead this invaluable institution that focuses each and every day on providing our Marines what they need to prevail against any enemy in any environment anywhere in the world. Thank you. Thank you.