20th CBRNE Command’s Headquarters Company Welcomes New Leadership Team

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – The 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) welcomed a new leadership team during a combined change of command and change of responsibility ceremony here, June 11.

Capt. Earl D. Pope assumed command of the HHC from Capt. Thomas E. Knight, and 1st Sgt. James A. Wilcox assumed responsibility from 1st Sgt. Joel M. Jimenez. The ceremony, hosted by Col. Scott J. Smith, the 20th CBRNE Command chief of staff, marked the official transfer of authority and the beginning of a new chapter for the company.

Smith praised the outgoing team for their dedicated service and their unified focus on the unit’s mission and its personnel.

“I have rarely seen two people united in a common purpose and with one goal….to take care of Soldiers……to make a difference and ensure everyone they come in to contact with are better prepared for what lies ahead,” Smith said during the ceremony. “Know that you made a difference, you made us better, you strove for excellence, and you enabled us all to achieve greater heights.”

Knight, a Queens, N.Y., native, commanded the company since May 2025. He will next attend the Chemical Captains’ Career Course before an assignment with the 1st Space Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado. Jimenez, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is slated to retire next year after 23 years of service in both the Puerto Rico National Guard and the active-duty U.S. Army.

Smith highlighted the unique difficulties of leading the headquarters company, which is responsible for the readiness of the command's senior leaders and specialized staff.

“Make no mistake….being part of the HHC Command Team is no easy task,” Smith noted. “They have a unique challenge to bring together many senior Soldiers with vast amounts of experience and insight and ensure we are all squared away….fit, medically ready, trained, and driven to ensure we can accomplish our mission.” Addressing the incoming leaders, Smith expressed confidence in their ability to continue the company’s standard of excellence.

“This is an exciting day for you and your families for it is the beginning of a great opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of Soldiers and the families of 20th CBRNE CMD,” Smith told Pope and Wilcox. “I have no doubt you are both ready to have a strong impact on our team.”

Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, the 20th CBRNE Command is the U.S. Army’s premier formation for confronting the world's most dangerous hazards. It comprises 75 percent of the active Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal and CBRN specialists, who are located on 19 bases across 16 states.