The command responsible for producing 60 percent of the Army’s new officers each year unfurled its flag and officially staked the colors Nov. 23 at its new home – Fort Knox, Ky.The event at Brooks Field marked the culmination of a transition from Fort Monroe, Va., set in motion five years ago by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission that also directed the latest round of military asset shuffling, including the move of Accessions Command to Fort Knox and the Armor Center from Knox to Fort Benning, Ga.Calling Cadet Command a pivotal piece in the development of the Army’s future leaders, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, commander of Accessions Command and Fort Knox, described the organization’s arrival as historic."For over 70 years, the world’s finest armor and cavalry leaders were trained here," he told a crowd of about 150 people. "Today marks the arrival of Cadet Command and the finest officer training in the world. … Cadet Command develops and shapes tomorrow’s leaders. It is a critical, distinct and strategic command in our Army."Elements of Cadet Command, which oversees Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and the Junior ROTC program nationwide, have operated at Fort Knox even before the agency’s 1986 inception.The command’s 1st Brigade, which includes senior and military junior colleges across the country and operates the Leader’s Training Course each summer for prospective cadets, and the 7th Brigade that oversees programs in Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, have been based on the post.Headquarters staff began relocating to Kentucky nearly two years ago. Only a few dozen of the headquarters’ nearly 360 total employees remain in Virginia. Cadet Command held a departure ceremony Oct. 1 at Fort Monroe, which is slated to close next fall.Until the unfurling, the colors had been wound tight around a wooden staff, encased in a plain, olive green cloth sheath. The flag – emblazoned with the command’s patch on a silky yellow-orange background – had been sealed by then-commander Maj. Gen. Arthur Bartell and Command Sgt. Maj. Herschel Turner, Cadet Command’s top enlisted soldier.The Nov. 23 official arrival of Cadet Command also heralded the arrival of a new commander, Maj. Gen. Mark McDonald.The two general officers swapped positions, with Bartell replacing McDonald as the director, J-3, for U.S. forces in Iraq.McDonald looked on from the Brooks Field reviewing stand as Turner and the interim commander, Col. (P) Barrye Price, uncased the flag as the commanders and sergeants major from each of Cadet Command’s eight brigades stood in formation behind them.It was a simple procedure, taking about a minute to free the colors from their cloaked state.McDonald, an ROTC grad from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, is a 30-year veteran. He has held a variety of leadership positions with units around the world, including Italy, Canada, Germany, Bosnia and the United States.Heading Cadet Command is McDonald’s first assignment in Kentucky. As the organization’s ninth commander, he said he feels "privileged" to return to the organization where he got his start and welcomed the opportunity to develop the Army’s future leaders."This is an opportunity to pay back what I received over the years," said McDonald, who also is a former Junior ROTC cadet."New beginnings foster tremendous opportunities for change and growth. That’s what I see today as we complete this transition. I absolutely can’t wait to do this."Three former Cadet Command commanders attended the ceremony: Maj. Gen. Robert Wagner, USA, Ret., who helped start the command and led it through its first four years of existence; his successor, Maj. Gen. Wallace Arnold, USA, Ret.; and Maj. Gen. Alan Thrasher, USA, Ret., the organization’s sixth commanding general.Senior and junior ROTC cadets also played a key role in the event. Students with the University of Louisville served as color bearers and recited the cadet and soldier’s creeds. Cadets attending Fort Knox High School were ushers, and Aaron Heard, a student with the junior program, delivered the Junior ROTC Cadet Creed.Radcliff Mayor Sheila Enyart, who attended the ceremony, leaves office at the end of the year. The BRAC transition has unfolded through much of her tenure in office. She called the ceremony an exciting moment. She – like many civilians in the neighboring communities – were concerned about the future of Fort Knox with the departure of the Armor Center."To have all these young people train here is a blessing to us," Enyart said of Cadet Command’s summer mission that attracts some 1,400 prospective cadets to Fort Knox."Having everything (arriving) lets you know the Army is still going on at Fort Knox. We were concerned at first because you never know what the transition will bring. It’s all for the betterment of our community."(Editor’s note: This story is based on an article by Steve Arel, U.S. Army Cadet Command.)