Story by Staff Sgt. Roy Henry
Georgia National Guard
Public Affairs Office

CALHOUN, 5 Nov. 2006 – Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 108th Armor stood proudly on the football field at Calhoun High School, banners waving wildly in the mid-afternoon breeze and watched as a new commander officially took over from the man who led them through a year in war-torn Iraq.

Major Christopher Voso, who served as assistant operations officer for Macon’s 48th Infantry Brigade, is the 108th’s new commander. He replaces Lt. Col. John King, who moves on to become the 48th’s executive officer.

Voso said he appreciated the senior leadership’s confidence in him to lead the 108th and carry it forward into its future as it begins its transition from a tank unit to a “reconnaissance surveillance targeting acquisition unit.”

“To you, Lt. Col. King and the 108th, I say ‘thanks.’ If I’d had to pick a unit to hang out with while we were in Iraq, it would have been this one,” he said. “You are people that had courage, honor and tenacity, to deal with the area that was your responsibility, and more so to Bravo Company, which had to deal with me living on your forward operating base for six months.”

During its time supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom III, much of the 108th lived and worked out of Forward Operating Base St. Michael, one of the most dangerous places in the area surrounding Baghdad. “I truly appreciate the friendship, leadership and guidance all of you provided me during our deployment together,” Voso concluded.

He reminded the Soldiers of the 108th that all they have done – before, during and after deployment – have not gone unnoticed. Each and everyone, Voso said, have and continue to do an outstanding job.
“It’s an absolute honor to take command of this unit, and to have the opportunity to lead you as we move forward into the challenges that now face us,” he said.

Being a reconnaissance unit isn’t strange ground for the 108th. Unit history shows that its first designation was as the 48th Reconnaissance Battalion, organized in 1902 at Jackson, as the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and later as the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron.

In moving back to the role it first played, the 108th now exchanges its M1 Abrams main battle tanks for those “leather personnel carriers,” those tan-colored combat boots attached to the feet of its Soldiers.“That’s how we’ll live and operate from this time forward,” Voso continued. “We’re going to experience a change in our ‘mind-set.’

“It’s most certainly going to change the way we look and how we do business, and I know you – this battalion – is up to the challenge,” he concluded.

Voso, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education, began his military career as a second lieutenant after being commissioned 1989 through the ROTC program at Frostburg State University in Western Maryland. His military education includes the Infantry Officer basic and advanced courses, Combined Arms Service School, Command and General Staff College and the Infantry Pre-Command Course.

Voso is a former Army Ranger having served in leadership positions with the Berlin Brigade, 75th Ranger Regiment and later with Company C, 4th Ranger Training Battalion at Fort Benning. He also served as assistant operations officer for the active Army’s 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, and commanded Company A, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry.

Voso has held several key staff positions with the Georgia Army Guard. He’s served assistant operations officer, personnel officer operations officer and executive officer for Winder’s Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry; and as operations officer for Macon’s 48th Infantry Brigade headquarters. When the brigade mobilized in January 2005 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, he became the brigade operations officer, a position he has held until taking over 108th Armor.

Among Voso’s military decorations are the Bronze Star, three Meritorious Service medals; seven Army Commendation medals; Air Force Achievement Medal; four Army Achievement Medals; Army of Occupation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star. He also holds the Combat Infantry and Expert Infantry badges, parachutist badge and the Order of Stain Maruice.

Voso and his wife Deborah Fries have three children.

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