CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq - Lt. Col. Bill Galbraith, commander of the 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and Command Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Rutherford uncase the battalion colors during the unit'...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq - Lt. Col. Bill Galbraith (left), commander of the 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and Lt. Col. James Kazmierczak, commander of the outgoing 26th Brigade Suppo...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq- Soldiers assigned to the 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division relieved the 26th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division during the battalion's transfer of authority ceremony, Oct. 11.

The "Rough Rider" Soldiers now assume the mission of providing sustainment and force health protection in the 4th AAB's operational environment in support of Operation New Dawn.

"Lt. Col. Bill Galbraith and the Rough Rider battalion begin the next leg of this race I have no doubt in my mind that they will rise to the challenge and finish strong," said Lt. Col. James Kazmierczak, commander of the outgoing 26th Brigade Support Battalion. "27th BSB is a phenomenal battalion with a long and distinguished history, ready to assume the mission and live the legend."

"We are ready to meet the missions that lay ahead," said Lt. Col. Bill Galbraith, commander of the Rough Rider troops. "Through the training we received over the past year in Fort Hood and the Joint Readiness Training Center, we have honed our sustainment skills, perfected our lethal expertise and we have come to Iraq leaner in the formation, but disciplined, trained and prepared to adapt to the mission sets that will befall on us over the year to come."

The 4th AAB "Long Knife" Soldiers will officially be taking control of the area of operations in Mosul and Ninewa after the brigade transfer of authority ceremony scheduled for Oct. 18.