6-17 Cavalry Begins Iraq Mission

Courtesy Photo | Lt. Col. Michael McCurry, 6-17th commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. William McGaha, uncased the unit’s colors in front of their tactical operations center in Forward Operating Base Diamondback, Iraq, March 5, 2011.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DIAMONDBACK, IRAQ

03.05.2011

Courtesy Story

16th Combat Aviation Brigade

Troopers from the Fort Wainwright-based 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment formally assumed an aviation mission in Iraq March 5, taking over from the 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment in a transfer of authority ceremony on their forward operating base in northern Iraq.

The ceremony marked the end of a monthlong relief in place between the two units as the 6-17th assumed the mission of full spectrum aviation operations in support of stability operations as a part of Operation New Dawn.

Lt. Col. Michael McCurry, 6-17th commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. William McGaha, uncased the unit’s colors in front of their tactical operations center.

Members of 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment finished deployment preparations shortly before the Christmas holidays and began arriving in Iraq in late January, leading an aviation task force of more than 500 personnel from six different units across the lower 48 states.

They are slated to be one of the last active duty U.S. Army units to leave Iraq at the completion of Operation New Dawn.

"Task Force Saber stands ready to carry on with our heritage. Just as F Troop, 17th Cavalry Regiment was the last ground Cavalry unit to leave the Republic of Vietnam, so Task Force Saber, with 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry as its core element, is committed to finishing the mission of Operation New Dawn for the people of Iraq and to honor the efforts that our country has made over the last eight years," said Lt. Col. Michael McCurry, 6-17th commander.

• Date Taken: 03.05.2011
• Date Posted: 03.16.2011 21:01
• Story ID: 67197
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE DIAMONDBACK, IQ