On Sunday April 4 at 2 p.m., Lt. Col. Frank Caruso of Burlington, New Jersey will assume command of the 50th Armored Brigade, New Jersey Army National Guard, during a traditional change of command ceremony at the Brigade's new headquarters located at the National Guard Armory on Eggert Crossing Road in Lawrenceville.  Col. Stephen Hines will relinquish command.

This is not the first time Caruso has served with the 50th.  Prior to taking command, Lt. Col. Caruso served as Brigade Executive Officer and served a variety of positions during his more than 37 years in the New Jersey Army National Guard.  He first enlisted in 1966 with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 114th Infantry (Mechanized) headquartered in Burlington City and served for the next 13 years as a rifleman, wheeled and track vehicle mechanic, recovery vehicle driver, and track commander.  As an NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) he held assignments as Team Leader, Rifle Squad Leader, and Platoon Sergeant.

He was the “Honor Graduate” (first in his class) at Officer Candidate School at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt in 1980.  As a newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenant he first served as a Rifle Platoon Leader with A Company, 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry and then as Executive Officer (XO) B Company, 1-114th.  He was promoted to captain after assuming command of B Company in October 1984.

Subsequent assignments included S-3 Air, Headquarters and headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade, 50th Armored Division; Operations Officer, 1-114th Inf; Director, Officer Candidate School, New Jersey Military Academy; S-3, 1-114th Inf; Reserve Force Officer, Selective Service System; and Commander 1-114th.   He was promoted to major Dec. 20, 1990 and to lieutenant colonel on Aug. 6, 1996.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Roger Williams University and currently is enrolled in the Army War College. His military education includes successful completion of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Armor Officer Advanced Course, Company and Battalion Pre-Command Courses, Air-Ground Operations Course, and the Command and General Staff College.  Among his military awards and decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal (second Award); Army Achievement Medal; Selective Service Meritorious Medal; and National Defense Service Medal.

For the Caruso family, service in the Guard is a family affair; his daughter Domenica and her husband Steven Felmy are both members of the Jersey Guard's 250th Signal Battalion while his wife Christine, who works at the College of New Jersey, has received "The New Jersey National Guard Outstanding Readiness and Support Award" for her work with the Guard's Family Support/Family Assistance Program.

Lt. Col. Caruso will command units comprising more than two-thirds of the entire New Jersey Army National Guard.  The 50th Armored Brigade includes units from Atlantic City, Burlington, Cherry Hill, Dover, Fort Dix, Freehold, Hackettstown, Jersey City, Lawrenceville, Morristown, Mount Holly, Newark, Newton, Port Murray, Riverdale, Toms River, Vineland, West Orange, Woodbridge, Woodbury, and Woodstown.  The 50th Brigade is comprised of the 2nd Battalion, 102nd Armor; the 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry; 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery; the 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry, and the 5th Squadron, 117th Cavalry.