Army Reserve’s 1st Brigade, 78th Training Division welcomes new commander
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – The U.S. Army Reserve’s 1st Brigade, 78th Training Division, welcomed its new commander during a traditional change-of-command ceremony Oct. 24 here on Sharp Field.
Col. Thomas Devore, who recently served as the Civil Affairs Planning Team chief with the 352nd Civil Affairs Command, succeeded Col. Edmund Torraca as the brigade’s new commander.
“Tom, you’ve been handed the keys to the Cadillac here, so I look forward to it,” said Brig. Gen. Andrew F. Scarcella, commanding general of the 78th Training Division. “You got your hands full. It’s an awesome team. The Remagen Brigade is behind you, and I know you all (Soldiers) will continue to support Col. Devore just like you did with Col. Torraca.”
Shortly after earning his bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Massachusetts, Torraca was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Signal Corps. He completed several deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan during his military career. He later earned his Master of Public Administration degree from Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York. In his civilian career, Torraca is the chief, Mission Support Office of the New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“The battles of the 78th waged in Europe back then (during World War Two) were likened by the French to a bolt of lightning, a charge of high potential, brilliant and swift; enduring characteristics for which the brigade remains recognized throughout the Army Reserve today,” Torraca explained.
“Though our mission may have changed since the days of Meuse-Argonne, Ardennes-Alsace and Rhineland, our purpose remains the same: To facilitate the execution of swift lethal combat operations,” Torraca said.
“I could not have been more proud to command this brigade and share in the successes of this division the last two years as we fulfilled the CAR's charge,” Torraca continued. “The accomplishments of these Soldiers during Global Strike and Sentinel Justice were historic, and I can't think of a better leader to take this brigade forward to meet tomorrow's challenges than Tom Devore.”
Devore has served in the military for 33 years, beginning with the U.S. Marine Corps, later commissioning through Army Officer Candidate School in 2000. He completed three combat deployments to Iraq. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and holds three additional master’s degrees from Wilmington University and Norwich University. As a civilian, he is a retired law enforcement officer with 23 years of service and currently works as a Safety and Occupational Health Manager for the 78th TD.
“We will honor the legacy of those who came before us and prepare the brigade for the missions yet to come. The challenges we face will be met with discipline, creativity and resolve. I’m humbled to serve alongside you, proud to lead you and I am confident in what we can achieve. Thank you for your trust, your service, your commitment to the brigade and our nation,” said Devore.
The 78th TD is headquartered here on JB MDL, which is the second-largest employer in New Jersey, second only to the state government. More than 40,000 active-duty and reserve-component service members, civilian employees and family members work and reside on the base.
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