Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

(e.g. yourname@email.com)

Forgot Password?

    Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Logo

    Ironhorse begins mission in Korea

    Proper cover

    Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Dennis | Spc. Joseph Bemer, a cannon crew member with Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 16th Field...... read more read more

    KILLEEN, TEXAS, UNITED STATES

    02.09.2016

    Story by Sgt. Christopher Dennis 

    1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

    CAMP HOVEY, South Korea - More than 4,100 Soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, are arriving in South Korea to ensure peace on the Korean peninsula and deter North Korean aggression.

    Soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team “Ironhorse,” 1st Cavalry Division, began arriving here Feb. 1 to begin their nine-month rotation. Ironhorse Soldiers replace the Soldiers of the 2nd ABCT “Black Jack,” 1st Cavalry Division, who completed the first rotation of a U.S. armored brigade in the Korean peninsula from June 2015 to February 2016.

    “Black Jack Soldiers have laid a foundation that we can build upon, and we can do some more integrated training and really build cohesion between our forces and the Republic of Korea army,” said Col. John DiGiambattista, commander, 1st ABCT.

    Planning for the Ironhorse brigade’s Korea rotation began before the brigade left for its October National Training Center rotation last year, starting with identifying manning requirements for the rotation.

    “It’s a huge requirement to get the numbers accurate and to find out who’s actually deploying,” said Maj. Albert Pride, brigade logistics officer.

    Even without sending any tactical vehicles or armor, the brigade still sent more than 50 containers of equipment to Korea.

    One of the most difficult parts of moving a brigade is getting all the timing organized between the flights of Soldiers and getting the brigade’s containers to the port in time to get them shipped to Korea, said Pride.

    “There is a very small window that we have to operate in, because ships are sailing - everything has to be synchronized just right to have a successful rotation,” said Pride.

    Adding to the complexity is the numbers of different organizations, units and personnel involved, including the U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Army Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and the 1st Cavalry Division Transportation Office, to name just a few, said Pride.

    “One thing to note about this brigade, it rolls like no other unit I’ve been in,” said Pride.

    For Soldiers, the deployment has been a smooth one.

    “I think it’s going to be a good rotation, everything looks positive so far,” said Spc. Dajhone Green, a cannon crew member with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st ABCT.

    First on the plate for Ironhorse Soldiers is participating in regularly scheduled annual exercises with ROK forces.

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 02.09.2016
    Date Posted: 02.15.2016 00:24
    Story ID: 188848
    Location: KILLEEN, TEXAS, US

    Web Views: 207
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN