“Thanks for sharing this special day with the OTC,” Kamper told the dozens of people attending the assumption-of-command ceremony in front of OTC’s headquarters at West Fort Hood. Those attending included Killeen Mayor Scott Cosper and retired Gen. Robert M. Shoemaker, a former OTC commander.

Consisting of 580 soldiers and Army civilians, OTC tests equipment and vehicles for the Army.

Kamper, whose last assignment was the chief of staff for the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan., replaces former OTC commander Brig. Gen. Scott Spellmon, who was reassigned earlier this summer to command the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division in Portland, Ore.

OTC’s top civilian, Executive Director Robert Miele, served as interim commander of the unit after Spellmon left.

Kamper began his Army career as an artillery officer in 1989.

He brings with him to Fort Hood his wife, Krista, and two children, Nate, 14, and Abby, 10.

“We’ve never been to Texas before,” Kamper said. “We’re tickled pink.”

During the past week, Kamper said he has been learning about the various testing going on at the unit, and how it is helping to strengthen the Army and the nation.

Also involved in the ceremony was Maj. Gen. Daniel Karbler, who is in charge of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, based at Aberdeen, Md., and oversees OTC.

Karbler called Kamper a “strategic thinker” whose experiences in the Army make him well-suited to be the OTC commander.