Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Bannister, left, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. R. Ray Lewis case the unit colors during a ceremony Friday on post in preparation for the upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. The 10th Mo...
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Oct. 22, 2015) -- For the seventh time during the global war on terrorism, the 10th Mountain Division (LI) prepared for operations in Southwest Asia as Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Bannister, division and Fort Drum commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. R. Ray Lewis cased the unit colors during a ceremony Oct. 16 on post.
Color-casing ceremonies symbolize that a unit and its Soldiers are in transition to a new theater of operations. When the unit arrives in Afghanistan later this month, Bannister and Lewis will uncase the colors in a similar ceremony.
The 10th Mountain Division will replace the 3rd Infantry Division as the National Support Element. Bannister will serve as NSE commander and deputy commanding general of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, along with other roles.
"The 10th Mountain Division has always been entrusted with our nation's toughest missions around the world," Bannister said to the attendees. "Since the attacks on 9/11, we were the first to deploy with (1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment), and we remain the most deployed division in the United States Army. … And it's not likely that will be changing any time soon."
The division left Bagram Airfield in eastern Afghanistan last November when the regional command headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force transitioned to the Resolute Support and the former Operation Enduring Freedom became Operation Freedom Sentinel.
Upon its return from that deployment, the division and its brigades spent several months together stateside -- marking it as the first time since 2002. However, it was short-lived, as elements of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team deployed to southern Afghanistan, elements of 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade sent elements to the Republic of Korea, and 3rd Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Polk, La., recently sent its Soldiers back to eastern Afghanistan.
"They keep asking the (10th Mountain Division) to go because you are the best," said New York State Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. "You are a part of an extraordinary legacy for answering our nation's call to service."
Hochul continued her words of praise for the division and its troops and offered Governor Andrew Cuomo's pledge to not only honor the troops' commitment but also their service to the nation by doing as much as they could do to support them and their Families.
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