The 1st Armored Division is the oldest and most prestigious armored division in the United States Army. From its desert tank battles against Field Marshall Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps, beach landing at Anzio to the end of the war in the Italian Alps. Maintaining a forward presence in the Cold War in Germany, its stunning victories in the Persian Gulf War to the Global War on Terrorism in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In peace or war, the "Old Ironsides" Division has amassed a proud record of service to America. The current home of the Division is at Fort Bliss, Texas.
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1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, the "Ready First" Combat Team, lead by brigade commander Colonel Kenneth P. Adgie and Command Sergeant Major Russell K. Reimers, deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in December 2012 under the command of Regional-Command South. The brigade focused on promoting stability in the region and defending the population. Elements of 1st Brigade routinely conducted patrols of their areas of responsibility and worked closely with Afghan National Security Forces, providing them with training and operational support.
One of the highlights of the brigade's mission was fielding a company sized Female Engagement Team, or FET. The FET was part of 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division and included over 50 female soldiers, initially from various units on Fort Bliss, who volunteered for the mission early in 2012 and trained together for half a year before deploying with 1st Brigade in December. The purpose of Female Engagement Teams in Afghanistan is to provide a culturally appropriate means to talk to Afghan women and children. After arriving in Afghanistan, the Soldiers assigned to the FET were spread out across the brigade's area of operations and assigned to work with various smaller units within 1st Brigade.
Another proud moment for the Ready First Combat Team came at the end of July, when they transferred their ownership of Camp Nathan Smith to the Afghan Uniformed Police. Previously a headquarters for ISAF's Canadian Forces, Camp Nathan Smith became a base of operations for U.S. Forces and the Afghan Department of State's Provincial Reconstruction Teams in 2010. Now, it belongs fully to the Afghan government. The Afghans' plans are to make full use of the current infrastructure, which includes a fuel point, generators, and a laundry facility, and to create a school for women on the camp. In all, 1st Brigade closed or turned over 26 installations to the Afghan government.
Not only did 1st Brigade soldiers work with soldiers from other countries, but they had the opportunity to work with U.S. units in Afghanistan that they otherwise would never have had contact with. The Kentucky National Guard's Agribusiness Development Team teamed up with the 1st Brigade chaplain and chaplain's assistant to coordinate donations of clothes and school supplies to the Afghan National Army. The ANA soldiers in turn distributed the donated items to local villages in Kandahar Province.
Col. Ken Adgie and Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers returned from Afghanistan on Sunday, Sept. 15th. Their return was marked by a ceremony in which the Brigade's colors were "uncased," signifying that the Ready First Combat Team's latest mission in Afghanistan has been completed.
