Lt. Col. James R. Rice took command of the 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment here and became West Point’s deputy garrison commander in a ceremony on Buffalo Soldier Field June 14.

Rice replaced Lt. Col. Philippe J. Upperman, who is going to Seattle University to serve as the professor of military science in the school’s ROTC program.

Garrison Commander Col. Arnold Smith, who said goodbye to the Uppermans and welcomed the Rices at the ceremony, said some units "fight their wartime mission every day" and that the "First of the First" is one of them.

The unit has "multiple missions, multiple conflicting priorities on a daily basis" that are "as challenging" as those faced by "any infantry battalion in the Army or any other battalion in the Army," Smith said. Rice "comes to us with all the qualifications that are requisite for command of this type of unit."

An infantry officer, Rice has built those qualifications during a career that includes command of three companies and a joint task force, time as a small group tactics instructor at the Infantry Officer Advance Course and staff work at the battalion, brigade and Pentagon levels. His most recent assignment was as the chief of military training in the Department of Military Instruction here.

Rice told the soldiers and U.S. Military Academy civilian employees gathered at the ceremony that he is "looking forward to the challenges ahead and to serving with you each and every day."

Rice’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Ranger Tab. The 1981 University of Pennsylvania graduate is a jumpmaster and a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College.