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"Texans Serving Texas"

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLIC RELEASE:

Texas Engineer Brigade welcomes new commander​

AUSTIN, Texas (May 11, 2016) – On Sunday, May 15, 2016, Col. Charles M. Schoening will assume command of the Texas Army National Guard’s 176th Engineer Brigade from Col. Gregory P. Chaney at a ceremony beginning at 2 p.m. at Camp Swift in Bastrop, near Austin.

Schoening, a resident of Georgetown, enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard in 1989, and was commissioned through the Texas Military Academy Officer Candidate School in 1991 as an Engineer Officer.

His military education includes Basic Combat Training, the Engineer Officer Basic Course, the Engineer Officer Advanced Course, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Intermediate Level Education (CGSC), the Advanced Operations Warfighter Course and the Contingency Engineer Manager’s Course.

Schoening has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from Concordia University of Texas, a Master’s Degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy and Management from American Military University. He is also a graduate of the resident Senior Service College at the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy in Washington, D.C.

Schoening has served in various key assignments throughout the Texas Military to include: Project Officer and Executive Officer for Joint Task Force Caribe; HHC Commander, Assistant Operations Officer and Company C Commander in the 176th Engineer Battalion. He recently relinquished command of the Training Center Garrison Command for Texas and has deployed overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

His military awards include the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M-3 and silver hourglass device, the Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, the Army Meritorious Unit Citation, the Combat Action Badge and various other federal and state awards including the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal. He is also the recipient of the de Fleury Medal for courage and bravery from the Army Engineer Association.

Chaney, a resident of Merkel, has served as brigade commander since May 2015 and as the Chief of Staff for the Adjutant General of Texas since August 2013. During his tenure as commander of the 176th Engineer Brigade, Chaney was instrumental in overseeing numerous state active duty deployments of engineer brigade troops throughout Texas. Additionally, he began preparations to mobilize the headquarters element of the 176th Engineer Brigade for its upcoming deployment to the Middle East.

Schoening will prepare the brigade for deployment throughout pre-mobilization training and maintain readiness for possible state active duty missions.

The 176th Engineer Brigade Headquarters is headquartered in Grand Prairie and scheduled to deploy to the Middle East this summer.

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The mission of the Texas Military Department (TMD) is to provide the Governor and the President with ready and trained forces in support of the citizens of Texas and State and Federal civil/military authorities at home and abroad.

The Texas Military Department is commanded by the Adjutant General of Texas, the state's senior military official appointed by the governor, and is comprised of the Texas Military Department (formerly the Adjutant General's Department), the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Command (DOMOPS).

For more information about the Texas Military Department visit our Website at https://tmd.texas.gov.