KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jim Huggins, 82nd Airborne Division commanding general and outgoing Regional Command-South commanding general, cased the 82nd Airborne Division colors Sunday and officially handed over command to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert “Abe” Abrams, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, during a transition of authority ceremony at Kandahar Airfield.

Maj. Gen. James L. Terry, commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command and reviewing officer for the ceremony, began the ceremony by speaking to the gathered NATO force members and Afghan officials about the gains Regional Command-South has made in past year, and how the Afghan National Security Forces have taken the reigns in the region.

“ANSF operational abilities have improved, along with their competence and their ability to control large operations, all under the guiding watch of this great all-American team,” Terry said.

Abrams also applauded the ANSF efforts.

“Every day, thousands of Afghan soldiers and police, across the provinces of Kandahar, Zabul (and) Uruzgan, along with soldiers from 10 ISAF contributing nations of the coalition, they fight side-by-side ... to defeat our common enemy, to deny safe haven and protect the great people of Afghanistan,” Abrams said. “I can assure you that Combined Joint Task Force-3 is just as committed to this cause. ... It will be done by the Rock of the Marne.”