Photo By Master Sgt. Brandon Bednarek | Col. Scott McKean (right) and Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Eppler (left), command team,...... read more read more
FORT BLISS, Texas - Four years after its activation, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, celebrated another birthday March 1 at the Team Bliss Culinary Training Center on East Fort Bliss.
This year, the commemoration was used as a means for reflecting on current and past missions that the unit has accomplished for our nation, said Col. Scott McKean, brigade commander.
“It was not an easy task,” said McKean, “but this brigade has done a lot to succeed in the Army and our country’s mission in Iraq.”
The “Highlanders” recently returned from Iraq where they were tasked with transitioning major U.S. installations and providing logistical support in accordance with the Dec. 31, 2011 deadline, outlined in the Security Agreement between the two countries.
“Our tour was the culmination of eight hard years of blood and sweat so that we can let them stand on their own,” he continued. “If we would have still been shooting on this last tour, that would have been mission failure.”
With Soldiers located across all of Iraq, the brigade worked collaboratively to ensure the successes in every possible mission objective. The resulting effort created a positive outcome, with all Highlanders returning safely home and contribution to Iraq’s ability to function as a sovereign and independent country.
“We did everything that was asked of us from the president and from our Congress,” said McKean.
Although the unit does not have a long lineage in Army history, it does have a very distinguished chronicle that was written by every Highlander Soldier, he said.
Among those attending the celebration were Soldiers who previously served with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Div., before reflagging March 4, 2008 to the current Highlander brigade assigned to 1st Armored Division.
“You are the ones that built the history of this brigade,” said McKean, “and you should be proud of that.”
McKean declared that someday, when grandchildren ask about the U.S. involvement in Iraq, these Highlander Soldiers will be able to say that they served their country during a time of war, and they did it while serving honorably in a noble profession.
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2012 18:32 |
| Story ID: | 84898 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ‘Highlander’ Brigade celebrates 4th birthday, by MSG Brandon Bednarek, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
