Tuesday, 23 February 2010

The Dragon Brigade


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By Shelley Roten
Duty First Magazine

PLAN, TRAIN, EXECUTE
4th IBCT

While many 1st Infantry Division Soldiers were returning home in 2009, the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was headed out Fort Riley’s door. After spending a year training and preparing. Soldiers said goodbye to Family and friends and left for a year in northern Iraq. Soldiers began preparing for deployment in late 2008,

Soldiers from 2nd En, 16th Thf Regt, prepare to head out on a field training exercise at Fort Riley

but really began ramping up training in early 2009, heading to the range for tactical training, as well as spending time at Fort Riley’s language and cultural classrooms. One of those training exercises was in February when four joint forward observers of 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, participated in ‘Pork Forward,” a joint exercise at Smoky Hill Range near Salina, Kan. “Going to Smoky Hill was a vita; part of training said Sgt. Randall S. Stow. “It’s very important to work with the different military elements such as the Air Force, Reserves and active duty. It’s something that needs to be done on a daily basis. In March, some Dragon Soldiers learned basic Arabic language in a two-week course at the education center on Custer Hill in preparation for their deployment.’ Soldiers started off conquering the basics, such as letters and numbers, and by the end of the course they were able to tackle more complicated language tasks to use during deployment, for example conducting a check point. In May and June, ‘Dragon” Soldiers headed to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., for a month- long mission rehearsal exercise. NTC has grown by leaps and bounds with the villages and the way they’ve tailored it so its more realistic for the Solders who have never been there before said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael McCoy brigade command sergeant major. “The mission we were doing there was taking a backseat to our Iraqi counterparts. Our new job is to assist them and let them take the lead on most missions that are going to happen over in Iraq.’ Once the brigade’s rotation was over it returned to Fort Riley, where days were filled with packing and spending as much time as possible with their families. Col. Henry A. Arnold, Ill, brigade commander, said the mission for Dragon Soldiers had changed drastically since the last time the unit deployed during the Baghdad surge of troop’s. We are advising and assisting the Iraqi security, forces now,” Arnold said, leading from the rear, helping them and enabling them to carry out the missions themselves.”

a squad from 1st Bn 28th Inf Regt., practice house clearing skills at a Fort Riley shoothouse

Col Henry Arnold, Ill, and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael McCoy case the brigade’s cob’s durIng a deployment ceremony on Aug. 13.

On Aug 13, the brigade hosted its official deployment ceremony on Custer Hill Parade Field, during which the unit cased its colors and Maj. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, commanding general of the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley, addressed Soldiers and their Family members, “I have every confidence that we have done our duty as a division to prepare this brigade, and I have every confidence that this brigade will deliver far more what we were able to give to them as they conduct their operations,” Brooks said The Dragon Brigade uncased its unit colors in a ceremony on Oct. 8 in Salah ad-Din Province, Iraq at Contingency Operating Base Speicher in Tikrit, Iraq. The brigade took over the US Forces partnership role from 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. Maj. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, Jr., commanding general of Multi-National Division - North, addressed the crowd at the transfer of partnership ceremony commended 3rd IBCT for the mission accomplished and placed his confidence in the Dragon Brigade assuming command. “As we say thank you to a job well done to the Broncos, We also welcome the Dagon Brigade. I’ve been watching the Dragons for the last couple of weeks, and there is no better brigade to replace the Broncos… ... I know you will carry on the great work

Soldiers work through a training exercise at the National Training Center Fort Irwin, Calif., In late May.
(Photos by Anna Staatz, Jordan Chapman and Laura Stroda,, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office)

accomplished by countless other Soldiers who have served honorably in this province,” Caslen said. Arnold addressed the crowd and reassured them that the Dragon Brigade is ready to take on the mission of helping to rebuild Salad and Din Province. “We are ready to do our duty, and we are proud to be a part of - - this historic period in the history of Iraq and the United States,” Arnold said. The 4th IBCT is scheduled to return to Fort Riley in August 2010.

Copied from the DutyFirst “Year in Review” Publication dated December 2009.
www.riley.army.mil

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source

http://www.quarterhorsecav.org/WEEK4.htm

WELCOME TO OLE' BILL'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

February 2010 - Week 4

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