Photo By Capt. Alexander Werden | Maj. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson...... read more read more
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ARLINGTON, Va. (August 14, 2021) - Every year, for just one week, their stories come back to life. The members of the National 4th Infantry (Ivy) Division Association gather in one city to celebrate their camaraderie, celebrate the achievements of the 4th Infantry Division, and relive the moments that brought them together during the conflicts of years past. Even though last year’s reunion was canceled due to COVID-19 and health concerns caused many members to avoid travel for this year’s event, over 150 members of the Association traveled to Arlington, Virginia for museum visits, business meetings, the Flames of Remembrance Banquet, the 20th Anniversary Re-Dedication of the 4th Infantry Division Monument, and a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Sgt. Maj. of the Army (Retired) Daniel Dailey was the keynote speaker of the Flames of Remembrance Banquet, which honored those who served in and with the Division. Since enlisting in the Army at age 17, Dailey’s career brought him to the 4th Infantry Division several times before retiring in August 2019. He was a Platoon Sgt. and 1st Sgt. in 1-12 Infantry, Battalion Command Sgt. Maj. in 1-8 Infantry, Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. in Third Armored Brigade Combat Team, and Ivy 7 during his time with the Ivy Division. He thanked the Association for their contributions to our Nation, and noted the debt that 4ID Soldiers owe to them.
“We will never fully repay our veterans for their service and sacrifice, but we should thank them. Because of them, we have our greatest gift - our freedom,” he told the Association members. He also spoke of the legacy that members of the Association left for the current and future generations of Ivy Soldiers to uphold. “Our Army and Soldiers are the most trusted organization in America and it’s because of what you have done in the past and what we will continue to do in the future.” He urged younger generations of Ivy Soldiers to get involved with the Association and play a role in preserving its history, and several Active Duty Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division traveled from Fort Carson to do just that.
1st Lt. Rebekah Fox, the Division Junior Officer of the Year, and Warrant Officer Daniel Nguyen, the Division Warrant Officer of the Year, spent several days with the Veterans sharing the current status of the Division and how its Soldiers continue to uphold the legacy left by those who fought in past wars. Maj. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, and Command Sgt. Maj. Adam Nash, Command Sgt. Maj. of the Division, attended the Banquet, 4th ID Memorial Re-Dedication, and wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
“While we’ve demonstrated since World War I that we are ferocious in combat, we are also compassionate in peace,” McFarlane explained to the Association while detailing how 4th Infantry Division Soldiers answered the call to distribute tens of thousands of vaccinations in the fight against COVID-19 in our local community and around the country, and continues to prepare for future calls to serve by developing cohesive teams that are trained, disciplined, and fit. He spoke at the Banquet and the next day’s Re-Dedication of the 4th Infantry Division Monument, located just outside the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. Command Sgt. Maj. Nash joined 1st Lt. Fox and Warrant Officer Nguyen in spreading soil from all posts which have hosted the Division and major theaters of combat since it was founded at Camp Greene, North Carolina in November 1917. Two UH-60 Blackhawks from the Military District of Washington’s 12th Aviation Battalion - The Army Aviation Brigade - conducted a fly-over of the Monument during the ceremony, with Crew Chiefs waving at the Veterans smiling and waving below.
Following the Re-Dedication Ceremony, the Association moved to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery to witness a Changing of the Guard Ceremony and lay a wreath at the Tomb. Mrs. Amy Moore, a Gold Star Spouse from the Division, represented the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to the Nation. Command Sgt. Maj. Nash represented all Ivy Soldiers past, present, and future, while Maj. Gen. McFarlane stood behind and supervised the wreath laying. This ceremony was carefully coordinated by the Commander of the Guard, 1st Lt. Andrew Katz, who gave its participants a behind-the-scenes tour of the Sentinel Guard quarters below the Memorial Ampitheater before the ceremony began.
4th Infantry Division Association President, Mr. Bob Babcock, highlighted the meritorious service of the Division while speaking at Arlington National Cemetery.
“For 104 years, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers have performed every duty that our country has asked of them,” he remarked, noting the Division's significant contributions to every major conflict from World War I through the present day. As the members of the Association continue to age, current members of the Division will have to take their place to steadfastly preserve the legacy that the Association so diligently preserves. Next year’s Reunion will take place in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and all Soldiers are invited to participate as able.
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.18.2021 14:17 |
| Story ID: | 403454 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 382 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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