402nd relocates to Fort Bliss, changes command

By Ms. Marcie Wright (IMCOM)August 3, 2010

402nd relocates to Fort Bliss, changes command
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Tracy O. Smith, left, then commander of the 402nd FA Brigade, and Command Sgt. Maj. George Manning, 402nd FA Bde. command sergeant major, uncase the colors of the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade symbolizing their relocation to Fort Bliss, during t... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
402nd relocates to Fort Bliss, changes command
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Kirk Nilsson, now commander, receives the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade colors from Maj. Gen. Charles A. Anderson, commander of First Army Division West, during the uncasing and change of command ceremony held at Noel Parade Field here Friday mo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
402nd relocates to Fort Bliss, changes command
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Tracy O. Smith, left, then commander of the 402nd FA Brigade, and Command Sgt. Maj. George Manning, 402nd FA Bde. command sergeant major, unroll the colors of the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade after revealing it from under its case, symbolizing ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

On a warm cloudy day here, Soldiers of the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade stood in formation to witness the brigade uncase its colors and watch it change hands on Noel Parade Field Friday. The uncasing of the colors symbolizes the relocation of the brigade headquarters from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. to Fort Bliss. The passing of the colors signified the current commander, Col. Tracy O. Smith, relinquishing his command to Col. Kirk H. Nilsson, who now holds the reigns that controls this "Rough Rider" Brigade. The relocation and mission change of the 402nd FA Bde., was discussed in depth at a Rehearsal of Concept drill held here in April. Now headquartered here, the 402nd will perform as an operations brigade, working closely with the 5th Armored Brigade toward the goal of continuing to conduct superior training of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who come here ready to train and leave ready to fight. Maj. Gen. Charles A. Anderson, commander of First Army Division West, presided over the ceremony. He complimented the 402nd FA Bde., calling them "a key cog in the training machine in the West." "The soldiers of the 402nd Field Artillery have established a reputation as world-class trainers, current in their warfighting skills and the operational environment," said Anderson. "They have been good teammates on and off Travis Air Force Base and Fort Bliss, and have established an atmosphere of excellence with our community in El Paso." Under Smith\'s command the 402nd FA Bde. trained and validated 39 units, to include more than 12,000 Soldiers; the brigade relocated from Travis AFB to here; partnered with Fort Bliss Garrison to improve the infrastructure here and on McGregor Range, N.M.; and, engineered plans to train on theater-level detention operations and sustainment operations at McGregor Range. "Col. Tracy Smith, thank you for a job well done," said Anderson. "You have made a tremendous impact on the 402nd Field Artillery Bde. ... You have done exactly what your nation has asked you to do, and that is to provide the men and women who volunteer to serve their country with the most relevant and realistic training possible." Anderson then welcomed the Nilsson family to Division West and West Texas. He assured his confidence in the abilities of Nilsson to carry the torch, calling him "the right leader to keep the momentum." Nilsson spoke concisely to the Soldiers and guests Friday, speaking briefly to the Soldiers and guests. He thanked the officers, noncommissioned officers and civilians who served as the wind beneath his wings, carrying him to this point of leadership. He offered gratitude to his family for their love and support as he traveled through his military career. Finally, he looked at the Soldiers standing in the formation in front of him. "To the Soldiers standing on the field today and for the units you represent, you have already proven yourselves to be a magnificent training machine," said Nilsson. "I look forward to working with each and every one of you as we train units for combat, establish ourselves fully within Team Bliss, and transform our organization to best accomplish our mission, now and into the future. "Rough Riders, continue to sit high in the saddle," ended Nilsson.