# Col. B. Ashton Naylor, Jr. takes command of 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne)



## Ravage (Jun 6, 2011)

http://www.soc.mil/UNS/Releases/2011/June/110606-02.html

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, June 6, 2011) ― The Soldiers of the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) held a change of command ceremony June 2 on Fort Bragg’s John F. Kennedy Plaza to welcome their new commanding officer, Col. B. Ashton Naylor, Jr. to the unit.
Naylor, who most recently served as the deputy commander of the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne), now commands the unit responsible for conducted entry-level and advanced training for the Army’s Special Forces, Civil Affairs and Military Information Support Operations Soldiers.
“It’s not every day you wake up and find yourself with the opportunity to lead a values-based organization like this one, charged with making the nation’s inventory of [special-operations Soldiers] and train them in all the advanced skills necessary,” Naylor said during the ceremony.
Naylor stressed the strategic value of the Army’s special-operations force, in that its Soldiers are capable of achieving significant effects with relatively small numbers.
“It all begins right here,” Naylor said of 1st SWTG(A).
Naylor is replacing Col. Jack Jensen.
“I’m parting with great pride and confidence knowing that the fate of our operations forces will be determined through the outstanding generation of leaders that we here at the group have produced, and are producing,” Jensen said.
In his next assignment, Jensen will deploy to command the Special Operations Command (Forward) in Lebanon.
“I’m heartened by the fact that I’ve been replaced by an incredibly experienced and well-respected Special Forces leader,” Jensen said.
Maj. Gen. Bennet S. Sacolick, the commanding general of 1st SWTG(A)’s higher headquarters, the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, praised Jensen’s leadership as the group’s commander over the last two years.
“I watched Jack create an environment where our best, brightest and most creative Soldiers and civilians were empowered to make great decisions on behalf of our regiments,” Sacolick said. “They improved just about every activity, process and course they conducted.”
Sacolick said he saw the same passion and enthusiasm in Naylor, and felt confident that 1st SWTG(A) remained in good hands.
Naylor previously spent two years as the SWCS G-3, from 2006 to 2008.  His other assignments include Special Operations Command Central in 2003 during the planning, preparation and invasion of Iraq; two years as the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) including another deployment to Iraq; and deputy commander of 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
Naylor holds a bachelor of arts degree from Louisiana State University—Shreveport and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.
1st SWTG(A) is made up of seven unique battalions which conduct Special Forces, Civil Affairs and Military Information Support Operations qualification training, advanced skills courses, special-operations intelligence training and logistics sustainment.







> Col. B. Ashton Naylor, Jr. hands the 1st SWTG(A) colors to Command Sgt. Maj. Brian D. Edwards, the group's command sergeant major, during the group's change of command ceremony June 2 on Fort Bragg. Naylor is the group's new commander, following the tenure of Col. Jack Jensen. (U.S. Army photo by Janice Burton, SWCS Public Affairs Office)


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