FORT CARSON, Colo. — From left: Chief Warrant Officer 5 Mike Corsaro, command chief warrant officer; Col. Scott A. Myers, commander; and Command Sgt. Maj. James L. Etheridge, senior enlisted leader, with 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, unfurl the brigade colors Jan. 19, 2021, during an informal ceremony on Butts Army Air Field at Fort Carson, Colorado. (Photo by Capt. Jake Valdick)
By Sgt. Sidnie Smith-Swift
4th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
FORT CARSON, Colo. — The 4th Combat Aviation Brigade “Ivy Eagles”, 4th Infantry Division, uncased the brigade colors in a ceremony Jan. 19, 2021, at the static Huey helicopter display in front of 4th CAB brigade headquarters building on Butts Army Air Field at Fort Carson, Colorado.
The uncasing of the brigade flag and battle streamers symbolized the return of the headquarters element to Fort Carson from a deployment in the Middle East.
The 4th CAB leaders: Col. Scott A. Myers, commander; Command Sgt. Maj. James L. Etheridge, senior enlisted leader; and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Mike Corsaro, command chief warrant officer, uncased the colors in an informal ceremony to maintain social distancing and COVID-19 precautions in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The brigade deployed to the Middle East in June in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The Soldiers were part of Task Force Aviation, and have returned from multiple countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq.
Assigned to Operation Spartan Shield, the Ivy Eagles acted as the primary air element in missions that improved security and cooperation with partner militaries and increased regional stability.
The deployment presented a unique challenge for the 4th CAB Soldiers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been very different from previous deployments, Myers said.
“Normally the unit will leave together and come home together,” Myers said. “While we left together, we have been sending Soldiers home almost from the moment we got to Afghanistan.”
While reuniting Soldiers with families is important, Myers said that the unit needs to work together to be what it once was before the deployment and COVID-19.
“We have been going in a lot of different directions for the past year, which is a part of our job as well,” he added.