Photo By Staff Sgt. Shannon R. Gregory | Col. Flem B. “Donnie” Walker, commander of the 1st Sustainment Brigade, gives his...... read more read more
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - The Tennessee Army National Guard’s 230th Sustainment Brigade, officially received control of the Army’s sustainment mission here from the 1st Sustainment Brigade on March 11. The Transfer of Authority ceremony was headed by Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dowd, commanding general of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command. Outgoing command, Col. Donnie Walker and Command Sgt. Maj. Miguel Rivera, commander and command sergeant major for the 1st Sustainment Brigade, cased their brigade colors, as the incoming command, Col. Mark Hart and Command Sgt. Maj. George Holland, commander and command sergeant major for the Chattanooga, Tenn., based command, uncased their colors. This symbolized the official transfer of authority of the outgoing unit’s mission to the incoming command.
The ceremony marks a historic event as the 230th becomes the only Army sustainment brigade within Kuwait. The 230th’s primary mission is to support U.S. forces currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and at the same time oversee the responsible drawdown of U.S. Forces out of Iraq by the end of 2011.
Speaking on the scope of responsibility for this mission, Dowd said, “Colonel Walker and Command Sergeant Major Rivera led the 1st [Sustainment Brigade] with a vision and direction to accomplish a critical role in theater sustainment operations.”
For the past year, the 1st Sustainment Brigade carried out numerous missions into Iraq to resupply U.S. troops and at the same time pull various resources out of Iraq back to Kuwait. Their mission also consisted of maintaining a supply route to Afghanistan via air drops. As this was their last official act in theater before returning to Fort Riley, Kan., Dowd continued, “This is a lasting legacy that you should be surely proud of.”
Incoming brigade commander, Col. Mark Hart, speaking to Walker and the "Durable" brigade, said, “The greatest tribute that anyone could pay you would be that of emulation. I can assure you that your lineage here and the job that you’ve done will be emulated by the Old Hickory Volunteers.”
“Change is inevitable,” said Hart. “The sustainment will continue to the tip of the sword for all the Warfighters in harm’s way. We stand ready for the challenge, we accept the change, and we look forward to the mission. Old Hickory Volunteers will ‘get ‘er done.’”
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.14.2011 07:50 |
| Story ID: | 67009 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 740 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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