The twelfth tree and headstone sit next to each other near the 210th Field Artillery Brigade headquarters at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local community leaders came together for the twelfth annual tree pl...

The 210th Field Artillery Brigade and Dongducheon City leaders stand for a group photo during the Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local community leaders came together for t...

The 210th Field Artillery Brigade and Dongducheon City leaders take a group photo together during the Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local community leaders gathered for th...

Dongducheon City Major Choi, Yong-Deuk shakes hands with Lt. Col. Shane Doolan, Brooklyn, New York native, deputy commanding officer, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, at the Thunder Inn dining facility after slicing into a cake at Camp Casey, Republic ...

The 210th Field Artillery Brigade and Dongducheon City leaders plant a tree at the Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local community leaders gathered for the twelfth annual tr...

The twelfth tree and headstone sit next to each other near the 210th Field Artillery Brigade headquarters at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local community leaders came together for the twelfth annual tree pl...

Dongducheon City mayor Choi, Yong-Deuk thanks the audience for coming and speaks to the importance of the partnership with 210th Field Artillery Brigade during the twelfth annual Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, Apri...

210th Field Artillery Brigade and Dongducheon City leaders participate in the annual Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony and listen to remarks, Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local community leaders came togethe...

Lt. Col Shane Doolan, native of Brooklyn, New York, deputy commanding officer, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, addresses the importance of growing the ROK-U.S. alliance during the twelfth annual Arbor ...

The 210th Field Artillery Brigade and Dongducheon City leaders take a group photo together after planting a new tree during an Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony at Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local communit...

This plaque describes the first date that 210th Field Artillery Brigade and Dongducheon City leaders planted the first tree for the Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony, Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, April 16. The 210th FAB command teams and local commu...

CAMP CASEY, Republic of Korea - U.S. Soldiers and local community leaders planted 12 trees to symbolize the deeply rooted partnership that exists between the 210th Field Artillery Brigade and the city of Dongducheon.

Dongducheon City Major Choi, Yong-deuk, 210th FAB leaders, and friends from DDC City Volunteer Center joined for the twelfth Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony near the brigade headquarters, April 16.

Each year, 210th FAB and community leaders unite to plant a spreading yew tree which represents the strength of their partnership.

"Koreans love this tree," said Son, Duck-Hwan, DDC Volunteer Center Chairman. "As this tree grows [it] means our friendship between Korea and the U.S. also grows."

The tradition began April 4, 2008, when the team planted the first tree at Thunder Brigade headquarters.

The area where the trees are planted is a long narrow plot of grass between the headquarters and the brigade S1 (Human Resources) office, which facilitates the tree's continued growth and attention from Thunder Brigade leadership.

Lt. Col. Shane Doolan, deputy commanding officer, 210th FAB, native of Brooklyn, New York, represented the Thunder Brigade at this special ceremony.

"The 210th Field Artillery Brigade has a long history and partnership with the Dongducheon Volunteer Center," said Doolan. "As a display of our partnership, 210th Field Artillery Brigade is hosting this year's Arbor Day [Tree Planting] Ceremony."

Following the ceremony, Doolan, battalion command teams and community leaders enjoyed lunch together at the Thunder Inn dining facility.

Next year, Thunder Brigade leaders will go to the Freedom Protection Peace Museum in Dongducheon for the Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony.