FORT CARSON, Colo. –One thing that sets the Mountain Post apart from other installations is its dedication to its surrounding community.
The 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson connect to the community through the historical tradition of military pageantry and ceremony by the 4th Inf. Div. Band and Mounted Color Guard.
Activated in 1943, The 4th Inf. Div. Band has instilled esprit de corps into Soldiers and community members everywhere they travel.
"I think the best job in the Army is being in an Army Band," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mike Becker, a Folsom, California native and bandmaster of the 4th Inf. Div. Band. "Our goal has been to rebuild the connections in our community that we've had to put on hold because of the pandemic. Now that it's much safer to meet in groups and go out in public, we have been excited to share the gift of music with our local community."
The 4th Inf. Div. Mounted Color Guard is one of only a handful of cavalry units across the nation.
Originating in 1963, the unit formed as a 32-man horse platoon. It was disbanded 15 years later but reestablished as the eight-person Mounted Color Guard we know today.
"We are the face of Fort Carson and the Army," said Staff Sgt. Robert Couturier-Gregor, a cavalry scout from Lewiston, Maine, on special duty with the 4th Inf. Div. Mounted Color Guard. "It's always a great thing for the public to see a different side of what the military does. We build relationships and contacts with the local community, which helps for future events."
The Mounted Color Guard and Army Band uphold the traditions of many Armed Forces events by participating in parades, rodeos, ceremonies and other public events.
The impact the band and the Mounted Color Guard have on the public is mutually beneficial for both the Fort Carson and the Colorado Springs communities. The Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development Organization annually show their gratitude to the Mountain Post throughout the year, including during Armed Forces Week.
This year for Armed Forces Week, May 16-19, the CSCEDO will host events such as an upcoming joint concert performed by the 4th Inf. Div. Band and the U.S. Air Force Academy Band, on May 16, at the Pikes Peak Performing Arts Center.
The CSCEDO will host the Armed Forces Week Outstanding Enlisted Awards Ceremony & Luncheon on May 19. The event will allow our community to express its gratitude to the military for their dedication and service to the nation. During the luncheon, the community will honor three outstanding service members chosen by the committee.
According to Maj. Gen. David Hodne, commanding, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, both the installation and its surrounding community, make the Mountain Post home and one of the Army's most vital power projection platforms.
"Working in concert with one another, our people, units, families, installation, and community demonstrate the proven resolve of the storied Ivy Division and the resolve of our nation," Hodne said. "Our collective resolve to be 'Mountain Post Ready,' combined with your unwavering support, the commitment of our friends and good neighbors in the front range community cannot help but ensure victory."
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Date Taken: | 05.13.2022 |
Date Posted: | 05.16.2022 18:39 |
Story ID: | 420778 |
Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
Hometown: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
Hometown: | FOLSOM, CALIFORNIA, US |
Hometown: | LEWISTON, MAINE, US |
Web Views: | 44 |
Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Fort Carson and local community celebrate Armed Forces Week, by SGT Kelsey Simmons, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.