Mountain Home High School Graduate takes command of local National Guard unit

Lt. Col. Lee Rubel, commander, 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion, passes A Company’s guideon to 1lt. Lt. Justin Lewis, signifying the company’s change of command from Cpt. James Plimtion, right, to Lewis at the Mountain Home Armory Dec. 1. Lewis, a 2001 graduate of Mountain Home High School, has served in the Idaho Army National Guard since 2009 and earned his commission as an engineer officer in 2013.

Idaho Army National Guard 1st Lt. Justin Lewis assumed command of A Company, 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion in a ceremony at the Mountain Home Armory Dec. 1.

Lewis grew up in Mountain Home and graduated from Mountain Home High School in 2001. He enlisted into the Idaho Army National Guard in 2009 and earned his commission as an engineer officer in 2013. His parents, Jim and Denise Lewis, still reside in Mountain Home. Lewis currently lives in Boise.

“As a kid, I never thought I’d end up commanding my local National Guard unit,” said Lewis. “It’s humbling to serve both my unit and the Mountain Home community in this capacity.”

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