In a military ceremony, rich in tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, the Montana National Guard, Saturday, bid farewell to Maj. Gen. Randall Mosley and welcomed Brig. Gen. John Walsh as Montana’s adjutant general.

“I relinquish command of the Montana National Guard,” said Mosley, as he presented the state command flag to Gov. Brian Schweitzer, the Guard’s commander in chief.

Schweitzer accepted the flag and then turned and presented it to Walsh, signifying the passing of his trust and command responsibilities to Walsh.

“I accept command of Montana National Guard,” said Walsh.

“Montana trained, battle-tested, ready to lead,” were the words Schweitzer used to describe first Mosley and then Walsh.

“In these times we expect more of the National Guard than we have any other time in this century,” Schweitzer told a crowd of about 400 spectators and 500 members of the military gathered at Fort Harrison’s parade field.

“It’s been six decades, six decades since we have sent the national guard in Montana into active service in support of this country overseas — six decades.

“I fully expect that the families of the National Guard will be sending men and women into active service around the world for decades to come,” Schweitzer said.

“I promise you, the families ... of the Montana National Guard, we will never send guardsmen and women (into service) unless they are the best trained warriors in the world.”

In a farewell speech, Mosley spoke of his pledge during a similar ceremony on a September day four years ago, when he took command of the Montana National Guard.

He’d pledged to take care of the soldiers. Since then, the Guard has made great strides in its training and also its post-deployment care of its soldiers, he said.

It also made great strides in caring for National Guard families of those deployed, he said.

“I have had the greatest job, the greatest privilege anyone could bestow on me,” Mosley said, his voice breaking.

“You have set a standard very difficult to attain,” Walsh said to Mosley. He then pledged to take the Montana National Guard to the next level.

“There is no time to rest,” Walsh said. Eleven soldiers are now in Billings, preparing to link up with a mobilization unit and then deploy to Iraq.

More deployments will follow.

“I will ensure they are trained and ready before going to a mobilization station,” he said.

During the ceremony., Gov. Schweitzer presented Mosley with a distinguished service medal. He also pinned a star to Walsh’s uniform, marking his promotion to brigadier general.

Later, Walsh recognized veteran John Bennett of Cascade with a combat infantry badge.

Bennett, who was a staff sergeant with Company C of I-163rd, was wounded by a sniper in Iraq in February 2005.

Then with a jarring boom of a historic cannon, drum rolls and the musical strains of “God Bless America,” the ceremony closed.

Reporter Marga Lincoln:

447-4074 or marga.lincoln@helenair.com