By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. James Parish Schools Superintendent Alonzo “Lonnie” Luce, a colonel in the U.S. Army, recently took command of the Louisiana National Guard’s 199th Leadership Regiment during a change of command ceremony in May at Camp Cook

During the ceremony Luce, who was promoted to the rank of colonel on July 14, received the battalion flag from Brig. Gen Glenn H. Curtis, the adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, to symbolize the “passing of the colors” during the 199th Leadership Regiment’s change of command. Luce, who resides in Gonzales, took over for Col. Patti D. Woods of Pineville as the battalion commander.

The 199th Leadership Regiment, headquartered in Camp Minden, provides institutional training within assigned Career Management Fields, the Non-Commissioned Officer Education System and Officer Candidate School missions based on requirements identified by the National Guard Bureau and the Army.

Luce’s Army career dates back to 1985, beginning with the 769th Engineer Battalion, where he was operation’s officer responsible for all training and operations conducted for the battalion containing over 700 soldiers.  

Luce was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from May 2002 through January 2003. During his tour of duty, he was the officer in command of engineer detachments in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and awarded the Bronze Star.

From July 2004 to 2007, Luce served in the 108th Division (institutional training) in North Carolina. Luce was most recently in command of the Louisiana National Guard 528th Engineering Battalion in Monroe.