JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Army Col. Stephen M. Rutner, assumed command of the 1189th Transportation Surface Brigade during a ceremony June 8, 2014, at the Thomas H. Martin Reserve Center at Joint Base Charleston - Weapons Station, S.C.
Rutner assumed command from Col. Kenneth E. King who served as 1189th TSB's commander since August 2012.
Brig. Gen. Michael Mann, Deployment Support Command commander, thanked King and his wife for their support during this tour and recognized King for setting the standard of excellence for brigade movement. King will assume command of the 77th Sustainment Brigade at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
Rutner was commissioned as a regular U.S. Army second lieutenant upon graduation from Millersville University in 1987. He served on active duty as an armor platoon leader, company executive officer and battalion S3 Air. He served in the Alabama National Guard with the 31st Separate Armor Brigade as the BDE liaison officer then 1-152nd Armor Battalion as the S2 intelligence officer. In 1997 he joined the Army Reserves and served with the 1189th Transportation Terminal BDE in Charleston, S.C., in various capacities to include: Assistant S3, vessel officer, terminal officer, vessel chief and pre-stow chief. He also served as BDE S3 operations officer while assigned to Southwest Asia operating multiple ports in support of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He assumed command of the 1181st Transportation Terminal Battalion in Oct. 2008. Before assuming this command he was Commander for the Army Reserve Element, Defense Logistics Agency of Ft Belvoir, Va.