The band played, soldiers stood at attention, and Colonel Laura Richardson took command of the Army's Operational Test Command (OTC) Thursday, at West Fort Hood.

However this was not just a change of command ceremony, it was also a homecoming for Richardson.

"A lot of my time I was here at Ft. Hood when I was a young captain.  I got to command a command aviation company," she said. "We got to transport all the leadership of the Corps and so we had a very important mission."

As the new commander of OTC, Richardson brings more than two decades of Army experience.

Major General Genaro J. Dellarocco, Commanding General of Army Test and Evaluation Command, of which OTC is a division, presided over the ceremony.

He said, "Colonel Richardson, you've been selected for a command because you're an outstanding leader.  This will be one of the most important commands in the Army."

Her prior experience includes serving as Vice President Al Gore's military aide.

"What an opportunity to do that, represent the Army and serve on the Vice President's staff," she said.

Most recently, she served as the Army's liaison to the US Senate. 

"I spent the last couple of years serving in Washington, DC, and I must confess that I feel like I have escaped from being in captivity," she said.

Now she leads the group trusted with testing everything before it reaches soldiers on the battlefield.

Richardson said, "I'm ready to go forward with you as we ensure truth in testing so the Department of Defense and the Army can field the critical war fighting systems to our soldiers."

Richardson takes over for Brigadier General Donald MacWillie, who took over OTC in July 2009, and became a general while leading the division.

He said, "The mission continues under Colonel Richardson, and with her I know a lot of successful history of the Army's only operational test organization will continue its legacy of excellence."

Richardson also becomes the first woman to lead OTC.

"What the Operational Test Command expects from me is that I'm a good commander," she said, "Regardless of being the first woman commander or whatever."

The importance of testing all Army equipment before it reaches soldiers down range hits Richardson close to home.

Her husband, Brigadier General Jim Richardson, is one of those soldiers, in Afghanistan right now with the Army's 1st Cavalry Division.

Making the Change of Command Ceremony extra special, he watched live from that country on video teleconference.

In her address Colonel Richardson said to laughter, "I just want you to know that I have moved all your furniture around in the house since you have been gone.  I've moved the OTC logo outside of the house to be over the 1st Cav. logo.  So, hugs and kisses from Ft Hood."    

About her husband's service she said, "I'm very proud.  1st Cav Troopers, 1st team is doing a great job.  They've got a very important mission [in Afghanistan].  They also have folks deployed in Iraq as well so they're split, and they have a very tough mission in both places."

That pride runs both ways, too.  After the ceremony, while Laura and Jim talked briefly over video teleconference, he told the new commander, "I'm proud of you."

Pride from a wife and husband, both serving their country for decades, and both, now once again living in central Texas.