MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE N.C. -- Company B, Marine Special Operations Advisor Group, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command stepped into a new era as its first commander stepped down and handed over the company to its new leader here, April 25.
Lt. Col. Daniel Kaiser took command of Company B when it stood up in February 2007 as the second of two companies within MSOAG. According to Kaiser, Company B started with three teams and covered a few countries. Now, it has eight teams covering a wide range of languages, cultures and countries. The teams within Company B have instructed more than 1,000 members of partner-nation forces and increased America’s influence throughout the globe.
“Kaiser has meant so much to MARSOC and MSOAG,” said Col. Michael N. Peznola, commander, MSOAG. “He has been at the heart and soul of the building of MARSOC, and especially MSOAG.”
Kaiser, who has been with MARSOC since it began more than two years ago, believes strongly in the mission of MARSOC and especially the role that MSOAG plays in the Global War On Terror.
“To me, winning the GWOT is about small teams plugged in all over the world shaping and influencing things,” said Kaiser. “I think what the Marines of this unit do is most important.”
Formerly called the Foreign Military Training Unit when it began as part of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, the unit took on a new name and mission sets when it was reorganized as part of U.S. Special Operations Command. For the past two years under MARSOC, MSOAG has grown in personnel, equipment and capability while deploying small teams of 11-14 men to austere locations to provide tailored military combat skills and advisor support to partner-nation forces.
Kaiser, in keeping with the global nature inherent to MSOAG, will now move on to be the Marine attaché in Nicaragua. His successor at Company B, Maj. Jeffrey A. Eichholz, has been a member of MSOAG as a company executive officer and as the Southern Command regional officer.
“I looked at the new crop of lieutenant colonels and it was a quick decision to choose Kaiser’s replacement internally,” said Peznola.
Eichholz is happy to take over as company commander, especially since he has been able to see firsthand the company’s growth and development. Over the past year, Eichholz has been able to see Kaiser guide Company B to success.
“(Kaiser) got this company to where it is today, and all I can hope to do is emulate that and continue where he was going and maybe take it a little further,” said Eichholz.
The company formation standing at the ceremony was small, and both Kaiser and Eichholz saw that as a success. Currently, half of the company’s teams are deployed around the world and two more teams are preparing for their upcoming deployment. The high operational tempo and need for the skills that Marine advisors bring to the fight is an indication of their success.
Active duty Marines and Sailors interested in joining MARSOC can contact the Marine Special Operations School at (910) 451-0099/3349 (DSN 750-3349/3123).