First Army cases colors and departs Atlanta

First Army cased its colors Friday at Fort Gillem, Ga. in a ceremony signifying the headquarters relocation to Rock Island Arsenal, Ill.

Lt. Gen. J. Michael Bednarek and Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Andrews, Jr. cased

the unit colors as part of an Army tradition that symbolizes the movement of

a major unit to a new area of operations. The official ceremony also

included the playing of the National Anthem and Retreat (signifying the end

of the official duty day while paying respect to the American flag).

First Army will conduct a colors uncasing ceremony at Rock Island Arsenal in

mid-July.

First Army's mission is to mobilize, train, validate, deploy and demobilize

all continental United States-based Army National Guard and U.S. Army

Reserve Forces mobilizing in support of combatant commander requirements

around the world.

In 2010, First Army trained more than 70,000 service members for combatant

commander requirements worldwide to include: Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo

Bay, Multinational Force Observers and the Horn of Africa.

First army is in the process of relocating its headquarters to Rock Island

Arsenal, Ill. Large groups of First Army Soldiers and civilian workers will

arrive during the next two-and-a-half weeks. All First Army employees will

be at the Arsenal by mid-July. First Army is bringing approximately 300

jobs to the Quad City area.

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