Army Corrections Brigade welcomes new commander

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas - Outgoing Army Corrections Brigade Commander Col. Douglas Curtis relinquished command to incoming ACB Commander Col. Andrew Sergent in a ceremony, hosted by Army Corrections Command Commander Brig. Gen. Sarah Albrycht, Aug. 5, 2026, on Main Parade at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

"Standing here today and looking out at this formation, I'm reminded of the immense trust our nation places in this unit," Albrycht said, referencing the troops assembled on the field. "As the commanding general of Army Corrections Command, I get a unique front row seat to the staggering scope of what you do. You manage some of the most complex, high stakes environments in the Department of War, and you do it with absolute precision, every day, without fail."

During her remarks, Albrycht told Curtis he has had a vast impact on Army corrections, leading with "unmatched professionalism and operational brilliance."

Albrycht listed some of Curtis' achievements in his roles as ACB commander and ACC deputy commander, including the transformation of the 508th Military Police Battalion into the Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility Battalion, overhauling emergency action plan protocol and training framework, initiating vital support for Operation Southern Guard, and more.

"Two years ago, I stood on this field and I took the colors of this brigade with a solemn sense of obligation and great enthusiasm," Curtis said in his remarks, "and today I stand here again humbled by everything this command has accomplished and grateful beyond words for everyone who has made challenging things happen."

Curtis said the military corrections profession, and the profession's history at Fort Leavenworth, factored greatly into why this assignment - during which he served simultaneously as ACC deputy commander, ACB commander and commandant of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks - meant so much to him.

"We are in the prison business, a business that sits at the terminus of military law enforcement and the military justice system. And our business matters - it matters to our community, it matters to those who are charged to our custody, it matters to our Army, and it matters most importantly to victims. It matters to me," he said. "Since the founding of our Army in 1775, before the founding of our country, there has been a continuous need for military justice and for holding accountable those soldiers who fell short of the standards of our profession. We have always needed to put soldiers in the stockade. But this institution traces its roots directly to the establishment of the military prison at Fort Leavenworth in 1874. For over 150 years, representing one of the oldest lineages in the Military Police Corps Regiment, generations of soldiers, civilians and leaders have carried forward the mission of the military corrections, delivering vigilance and justice since 1874."

During his remarks, Curtis thanked family members, teammates, colleagues, installation partners and service members serving in military corrections.

"Most importantly, to the soldiers, Marines, airmen, and sailors, the NCOs, officers and Army civilian professionals of this organization, thank you. You are the ones doing the thankless work, the tireless work of isolation, deterrence, rehabilitation and retribution," he said. "You do it for our inmates, you do it for our nation, you do it for our Army, and you do it for each other."

Curtis said Sergent's professionalism is well known across the regiment, and Albrycht referred to Sergent as a warrior who knows the regiment inside and out.

"From his early days as an enlisted fire support specialist, to his time commanding the 97th Military Police Battalion at Fort Riley, he has proven himself at every level," she said. "He brings a wealth of joint and strategic experience in the Pentagon, paired with an elite operational credentials from deployments spanning from Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Eastern Europe and, most recently, Iraq. Andy, you possess the exact blend of operational grit, tactical proficiency and strategic vision required to command this premier organization. I have complete confidence that you will build upon the foundation laid before you and drive this team to even greater heights."

Sergent said ACB provides the institutional backbone that preserves the public trust and ensures the Department of War remains a disciplined, world-class fighting force. He shared his mandates as he sees them as his new role in ACB begins.

"First, take care of our workforce and build a positive command climate that promotes trust and respect. People matter all the time. Second, provide expertly trained professionals in formations that excel in the high stress, high consequence environments that they work in every single day. And third, be prepared to provide the joint force with tailored retention and corrections capability to address emerging threats our nation sees today," Sergent said.

"To the men and women of the Army Corrections Brigade, you represent the very best of our military. You're literally the gatekeepers of this awesome warfighting profession. I am proud to stand in your ranks and honored to sign on as Griffin VI."