News from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit

By Paula J. Randall Pagán
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Public Affairs Office

COL Hoidahl Retires after 30 years
New USAMU Commander from Army Golden Knights

FORT BENNING, Ga. - The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit bid farewell to its commander and welcomed a new chief on June 4. LTC David J. Liwanag, formerly the commander of the U.S. Army Parachute Team - the Golden Knights - of Fort Bragg, N.C., received command of the Army Marksmanship Unit from COL Robert I. Hoidahl Jr. in a change of command ceremony at Pool International Shooting Complex's Ceremony Hill. Lieutenant General Dennis D. Cavin, Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command, Fort Monroe, Va., officiated. Hoidahl, who assumed command of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit April 11, 2001, will retire from the Army on August 1, after 30 years of service. Hoidahl and his wife Leann plan to continue to reside in Columbus, Georgia.

A native of Calumet City, Ill., Hoidahl received a bachelor of education degree from Purdue University in June 1973 and a master of arts in management from Webster University of St. Louis, Mo. He enlisted in the Army as a military policeman a month after graduating from Purdue University. After graduating from Officer Candidate School in January 1975, he received a reserve commission. Hoidahl had assignments with the 25th Infantry Division, the 5th Special Forces Group and the 82nd Airborne Division where he participated in Operation Urgent Fury as aide-de-camp of the commanding general. He also served as Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and was executive officer, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Infantry, and the U. S. Army Airborne School. Hoidahl additionally was assigned with Fourth U.S. Army, and the Joint Readiness Training Center before becoming the chief of the Leadership Division, Combined Arms and Tactics Directorate, U.S. Army Infantry School and commander of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry, Infantry Officers Basic Course.

COL Robert Hoidahl was honored in a USAMU Change-of-Command ceremony at Fort Benning, Georgia on June 4. Hoidahl is retiring from the U. S. Army. The new USAMU Commander is LTC David Liwanag, who formerly Commanded the U. S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.

Hoidahl was then assigned to Fort Sill, Okla., as Deputy Director, Fire Support and Combined Arms Operations Department, Field Artillery School. He served as Chief, Army Directorate and Deputy Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation Turkey. He served as the Deputy Assistant Commandant of the Infantry School from August 1999 until he became the Marksmanship Unit Commander. He has numerous awards and decorations including the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Bronze Stars with "V" device, five Meritorious Service Medals and a Pistol Excellence-in-Competition Badge.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Liwanag grew up traveling around the world as a military family member. He enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard in 1979 and served as a rifleman in the 36th Airborne Brigade. He volunteered and served as a scout and radio operator in Company G (Ranger) (Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol), 143rd Infantry.

A 1982 distinguished military graduate of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M

University, Liwanag received a commission as an infantry officer and served as the scout platoon leader, Combat Support Company, and Headquarters Executive Officer for the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry (Manchu), 2nd Infantry Division in Korea.

LTC Liwanag became Special Forces qualified in 1984 and served as the Executive Officer for Company C, 1st Special Warfare Training Battalion, and as safety officer of the Military Free Fall School, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center. Liwanag is a military free fall instructor and the author of the 1988 edition of Field Manual 31-19, Special Forces Military Free Fall Parachuting.

His commands include a Regional Survey Team and a Special Forces Military Free Fall A-Detachment in Okinawa, Japan; a Maritime Operations A-Detachment in Fort Lewis, Washington; and Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group in Okinawa.

Liwanag has served as an operations, plans, and training officer for 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 1st Special Forces Group; the U.S. Army Special Operations Detachment; the Joint Intelligence Coordinating Staff (with duty at The Joint Staff); the U.S. Army Office of Military Support; and Task Force 20.

His assignments have taken him on exercises and operations throughout Asia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Australia. He is a veteran of Operations Uphold Democracy and Iraqi Freedom. Liwanag is a graduate of the Command and General Staff Officer's Course; the Special Forces Advance Reconnaissance, Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course; the Drug Enforcement Administration Advance Narcotics Raids Tactics Course; the Sniper/Counter-Sniper Course; the Special Threats Management Course and he is a U.S. Secret Service Firearms instructor as well as a U.S. Army Distinguished Rifleman.

Liwanag is married to the former Mary Evan of Atlanta, who is a registered nurse. The Liwanags have one son, Victor.