By 2nd Lt. Ryan Bradley
1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Col. Monté Rone, commander, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, delivers a mes-sage to the Soldiers, veterans, and Family members at the Colorado Springs Airport before the Soldiers depart for Afghanistan May 6, 2018. (Photo by Spc. Marcus McKinny)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, held a color-casing ceremony May 6, 2018, in preparation for a deployment to Afghanistan.
The 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., spent the last year training to ensure its Soldiers are fit to fight and ready to deploy to any place around the world at a moment’s notice. Over the past 12 months, 1st SBCT Soldiers conducted two successful rotations to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California; a comprehensive field problem at Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site in southern Colorado; and several company-, battalion- and brigade-level field exercises at the many ranges across post.
The deployment will be the 1st SBCT’s first deployment since 2013, when the “Raider” brigade was deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Col. Monté Rone, left, commander, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, holds the colors while Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Tennant, command sergeant major, 1st SBCT, puts on the casing during a color-casing ceremony at the Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group (A/DACG) at the Colorado Springs airport before the Soldiers depart for Afghanistan May 6, 2018. (Photo by Spc. Marcus McKinny)
The brigade held the ceremony at the Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group (A/DACG) at the Colorado Springs airport as Soldiers boarded the aircraft, where fellow Soldiers and leaders gathered to say farewell.
Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Tennant, command sergeant major, 1st SBCT, shared with the Soldiers and leaders about the military history that the brigade has built since it was formed in 1917.
“Your organization is ready and willing to fight,” said Tennant, to the 1st SBCT commander.
Col. Monté Rone, commander, 1st SBCT, concluded the ceremony by delivering a message to the Soldiers, leaders, veterans and Family members.
“To our families, we love you,” said Rone. “It is because of your actions, efforts, but more importantly — your sacrifices that the Raider brigade stands ready for its upcoming mission. The troopers and leaders of the Raider brigade are ready.”