Lt. Col. Edwin Larkin joined the ranks of those he now serves, Sept. 2, 2006.

While serving as an embedded team trainer in Afghanistan, Larkin’s team received a dual attack. First, there was a suicide vehicle’s improvised explosive device detonation; then, there was secondary gun fire.

“My interpreter was killed that day,” said Larkin, the new commander of the Warrior Transition Battalion, who suffered burn and shrapnel wounds that day.

He spent about three months recovering and was part of a medhold unit, the predecessor to today’s Warrior Transition Battalion.

Since he already had more than two decades of service in the Army National Guard, Larkin knew some of the ins and outs of the system; others weren’t so fortunate.

They didn’t know what was available to them, and many of them are the reason the Warrior Transition Battalion concept was created.

One Soldier, Larkin will never forget, was about 20 years-old and had a wife and small child. The two of them were being treated at Brooke Army Medical Center.

The young man had suffered severe burns which limited the use of his hands. He was concerned because he’d worked as a mechanic and didn’t know what his future held without use of his hands.

And procedures weren’t really in place yet to help this young Soldier transition out of the Army, Larkin said.

Larkin took the helm on Oct. 21 from Lt. Col. Everett Sharpe whose team built the unit from practically nothing. They helped develop and implement brand new policies and procedures all while buildings were built and transportation contracts were signed.

Larkin said he has inherited a great organization.

“I’m honored and humbled to have this position,” he said.

A native of Massachusetts, Larkin was a Marine prior to joining the National Guard and is entering his 26th year in the Army National Guard. He has held many posts during his career; most recently he worked in Washington, D.C. as an Army Congressional Fellow and legislative liaison officer in the Office of Legislative Liaison.

Larkin said he’s looking forward to his next two years guiding Warriors in transition.

“I still have a lot to learn,” he said. “I’ve gotten a warm welcome.”