Despite claps of thunder, jagged streaks of lightning flashing across gray skies and bullet-sized raindrops, Marne soldiers soldiered on in the rain Thursday afternoon during a Welcome Retreat ceremony.

The 3rd Infantry Division welcomed former chief of staff Col. Roger Cloutier as the new deputy commanding general of maneuver and Col. Leopoldo Quintas as the new chief of staff.

3rd ID commander Maj. Gen. Abe Abrams announced Cloutier would serve as the rear division commander during the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion’s scheduled fall deployment to Iraq. Cloutier had served six months as division chief of staff. He previously commanded the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, which deployed from December 2009-December 2010 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

It was previously reported that Col. Christopher Hughes had been “positioned” to serve as the rear division commander. Hughes is deputy commanding general of support.

Read more in the July 16 edition of the News.