By Staff Sgt. David C. Kirtland, Louisiana National Guard Public Affairs Office
PINEVILLE, La. – In a formal change of command ceremony steeped in military tradition, the Louisiana National Guard’s 225th Engineer Brigade transferred leadership from Col. Scott Slaven to Lt. Col. William W. Saint at Esler Field, May 18.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana, presided over the ceremony, marking the end of Slaven’s 26-month command and the beginning of Saint’s tenure.
“It was a true honor and privilege to serve as commander of the best engineer brigade in the United States Army,” said Slaven. “Will, you are the right leader to take this unit to the next level, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for you and the Castle Brigade.”
Col. James “Scott” Slaven, a 34-year veteran of the LANG, enlisted in 1990 and received his commission through the Louisiana Officer Candidate School in 1998. He has held numerous command and staff positions at the company, battalion, and brigade levels, including command of Company C and the 205th Engineer Battalion, and later serving as operations officer and executive officer for the 225th Engineer Brigade. Slaven deployed multiple times to Afghanistan and the Middle East and led units during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response. Most recently, he commanded the 225th Engineer Brigade, where he oversaw the mobilization of 500 soldiers for Hurricane Milton recovery operations in Florida, directed wildfire mitigation support in Southwest Louisiana, and completed multiple Innovative Readiness Training projects across the state. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Louisiana Legion of Merit, and the Bronze de Fleury Medal, among others.
During the ceremony, Friloux recognized Slaven’s leadership and commitment to both readiness and community engagement.
“Col. Slaven, job well done. You focused on my number one goal: combat readiness,” said Friloux. “Building combat readiness builds readiness to accomplish our state mission, and you did that. Lt. Col. Saint, I look forward to where you will take this brigade.”
In recognition of his leadership and service, Slaven was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, as an interim award, during the ceremony.
Slaven will continue to serve as director of LANG’s Construction and Facilities Management Office.
Lt. Col. William W. Saint, a Baton Rouge native and current resident of St. Francisville, brings more than 28 years of military service. Commissioned through the LANG Officer Candidate School in 2001, he began his career as an enlisted combat engineer in 1996 and has served in a variety of leadership roles, including platoon leader, brigade staff officer, family program director, and joint director of military support. His command experience includes Company C, 1088th Engineer Battalion; the 928th Engineer Company (Sapper); the 62nd Civil Support Team (WMD); the 769th Brigade Engineer Battalion; and Task Force Ramrod, where he led Forward Operating Base Union III in Baghdad during Operation Inherent Resolve. Saint has deployed three times to Iraq with the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and has served more than 42 months in federal mobilizations. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College, a fully joint-qualified officer, a certified Louisiana emergency manager, and a past president of the National Guard Association of Louisiana.
“To the Soldiers of the Castle Brigade, this command is not about me—it is about us,” said Saint. “Our duty is clear. We must be competent in our training to breach or bypass all obstacles. We must be adaptive to an ever-changing environment, and we must be steadfast in our resolve.”
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Combat Action Badge, and the Excellence in Competition Badge (pistol), among others.
The 225th Engineer Brigade plays a vital role in both state and federal operations. In addition to supporting overseas missions since 2002, the brigade has been activated for numerous emergency response efforts, including hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, Gustav and Harvey; the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the 2016 flood events. Most recently, the brigade supported Hurricane Milton recovery operations in Florida and provided critical assistance during widespread wildfire response operations across Southwest Louisiana.
