3rd Special Forces Group welcomes new Commander

Fort Bragg's 3rd Special Forces Group welcomed a new commander as it said goodbye to its outgoing commander with little fanfare this week. Col. Jason A. Johnston (below left) handed over command of the group and its 2,400 soldiers to Col. John D. Bishop (below right) on Tuesday, a news release stated. A traditional change of command ceremony was not held “due to operational requirements,” a news release stated.

The 3rd Special Forces Group soldiers deploy at any given time to support operations throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. According to the group’s website, its soldiers' missions are unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, combating terrorism and information operations. “These missions make Special Forces unique in the U.S. military because they are deployed throughout the three stages of operational continuum — peacetime, conflict and war,” the website states.

Johnston, who led the group since June 12, 2020, won’t be leaving the area. His next assignment is as chief of staff for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, which is also at Fort Bragg.

Bishop is no stranger to the group, previously serving as its deputy commander and serving as commander of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. Bishop also served as a former detachment commander for Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sgt. Robby Miller, according to an Army article. Miller, 24, was killed Jan. 25, 2008, during his second tour to Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. "He was always quick to volunteer and never thought it should be any other way," Bishop said about Miller during a 2008 memorial ceremony. "On numerous occasions when the detachment was faced with a difficult task, Robby would just stand up and say, 'I got this one; I'll do it. Send me."

Article from the Fayetteville Observer