American Samoa native Cpt. Saipale Vaouli is the new commander of the Forward Support Company, 411th Engineer Battalion of the local U.S. Army Reserve, following a ‘change-of-command’ ceremony held last Sunday at the Army Reserve center in Tafuna.

The 32-year old Vaouli, along with Lt. Col. Dragomir Marinkovich, Commander, 411th Engineer Battalion and Maj. Ekkehard Stiller, Executive Officer, 411th Engineer Battalion attended Monday’s opening of the 34th Legislature at the Fono Guest Fale.

Marinkovich and Stiller, along with Master Sgt. Mark Chrisman, Operations Noncommissioned Officer, 411th Engineer; and Company First Sgt. Joseph Tribbey are with the Army Reserve 9th Mission Support at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

Chrisman and Tribbey also attended the Fono opening.

Vaouli, who was deployed to Iraq in 2010-2011 when he was on active duty, told Samoa News that the commander post is usually a one to two year term. Including his years in active duty, Vaouli has been in the Army for eight years and he is very pleased and happy with his new post as commander.

He is the son of Afuai Lee Vaouli and the late Tupulua Vaouli of Alofau village.