Lt. Col. James Van Atta, 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (Buffalos), battalion commander cases his battalion colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Oldsen, battali...

Soldiers present bouquets of flowers to spouses of deploying soldiers during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deployment to A...

Soldiers present bouquets of flowers to spouses of deploying soldiers during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deployment to A...

Soldiers present bouquets of flowers to spouses of deploying soldiers during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deployment to A...

The color guard from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, stands in formation as they prepare to case the brigade colors during a casing ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deploym...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander cases his brigade colors with Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, brigade command sergeant major, with Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bl...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, cases his brigade colors with Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss command sergeant major and Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, 1st AD and ...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, cases his brigade colors with Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, brigade command sergeant major, during a ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held t...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander cases his brigade colors with Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, brigade command sergeant major, as Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Blis...

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commanding general, assists Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, case the brigade colors duirng a ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The...

Lt. Col. Kevin A. Wallace, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Blackhawks), battalion commander, cases his colors with Command Sgt. Maj. Uhuru C. Salmon, battalion command sergeant major, and Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Divis...

Lt. Col. James Van Atta, 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (Buffalos), commander cases his battalion colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Oldsen, battalion command...

Lt. Col. Thomas Anderson, 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), commander cases his battalion colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Lon Kindler, battalion comm...

Lt. Col. Thomas Anderson, 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), commander cases his battalion colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Lon Kindler, battalion comm...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, helps Lt. Col. Paul C. Weyrauch, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Gunners) battalion commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Orlando Ramos, battalion command sergeant major,...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, helps Lt. Col. Paul C. Weyrauch, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Gunners) battalion commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Orlando Ramos, battalion command sergeant major,...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, Lt. Col. Paul C. Weyrauch, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Gunners) battalion commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Orlando Ramos, battalion command sergeant major, salut...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, prepares to case the battalion colors for 501st Brigade Support Battalion (Providers), alongside Lt. Col. Kenneth Coon, battalion commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert ...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, prepares to case the battalion colors for 501st Brigade Support Battalion (Providers), alongside Lt. Col. Kenneth Coon, battalion commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert ...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, assists the command team from 115th Military Police Battalion case their battalion colors during a ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signi...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander, assists the command team from 115th Military Police Battalion case their battalion colors during a ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signi...

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commanding general, speaks during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upc...

Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss command sergeant major, speaks with Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade command sergeant major, following the casing ceremony...

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commanding general, speaks with Command Sgt. Maj. Uhuru C. Salmon, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Blackhawks) command sergeant major, following the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade ...

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commanding general, center, poses with 1st Sgt. Kenneth Howard, first sergeant of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, left, and Command...

Soldiers from 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Blackhawks), stand in formation during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming dep...

Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (Buffalos), stand in formation during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming de...

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment (Spartans), stand in formation during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming de...

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), stand in formation during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deplo...

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), stand in formation during the casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deplo...

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Gunners), stand in formation during a casing ceremony for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deployme...

Soldiers from 501st Brigade Support Battalion (Providers), stand in formation during the casing ceremony for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming dep...

Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (Buffalos), stand in formation during the casing ceremony for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The casing ceremony was held to signify the brigade's u...

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), stand in formation during the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, casing ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The brigade cased their colors to signify their upcoming deployme...

The color guard stands in formation, preparing to case the colors during the casing ceremony for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. The casing ceremony was held to signify the brigade's upcoming deploymen...

Col. Ken Adgie, center left, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander, cases his brigade colors alongside Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss command sergeant major, Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pitt...

Col. Ken Adgie, center left, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander, cases his brigade colors alongside Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss command sergeant major, Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pitt...

Col. Ken Adgie, center left, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander, cases his brigade colors alongside Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss command sergeant major, Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pitt...

Col. Ken Adgie, center left, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander, cases his brigade colors alongside Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss command sergeant major, Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pitt...

Lt. Col. Kevin A. Wallace, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Blackhawks), battalion commander, cases his battalion's colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Uhuru C. Sal...

Lt. Col. Kevin A. Wallace, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Blackhawks), battalion commander, cases his battalion's colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Uhuru C. Sal...

Lt. Col. James Van Atta, 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (Buffalos), commander cases his battalion colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Oldsen, battalion command...

Lt. Col. Kevin Admiral, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment (Spartans) battalion commander, cases his battalion colors, alongside Command Sgt. Maj. Billy Smith, battalion commander, and Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division ...

Lt. Col. Thomas Anderson, 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), battalion commander, cases his battalion's colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Lon Kindler, ba...

Lt. Col. Thomas Anderson, 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), battalion commander, cases his battalion's colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Lon Kindler, ba...

Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander, salutes the colors of 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Rifle), alongside Lt. Col. Thomas Anderson, battalion commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Lon Kindler, battali...

Lt. Col. Paul C. Weyrauch, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Gunners), battalion commander, cases his battalion's colors along side Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Orlando Ramos...

Lt. Col. Kenneth Coon, 501st Brigade Support Battalion (Providers), battalion commander, cases his battalion's colors along side Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Carter, bat...

Lt. Col. Kenneth Coon, 501st Brigade Support Battalion (Providers), battalion commander, salutes his battalion's colors along side Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Carter, b...

The command team from the 115th Military Police Battalion, case their battalion's colors alongside Col. Ken Adgie, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, brigade commander, during the brigade's casing ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas, Dec. 4. T...

In the midst of their deployment to Afghanistan, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, cased their brigade colors during a ceremony Dec. 4. The Ready First Combat Team is deploying their six battalions, as well as the 115th Military Police Battalion, a recently attached unit.

During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Ronnie R. Kelley, 1st AD and Fort Bliss command sergeant major, cased the brigade colors, alongside Col. Ken Adgie, brigade commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, brigade command sergeant major.

"This brigade, based on the training that we've had, is the best trained, best prepared, and probably best led brigade that we are sending to Afghanistan right now," said Pittard. "Under the leadership of Col. Ken Adgie and Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, this unit is ready. And they're ready to fight and win in Afghanistan."

Following the brigade colors being cased, Adgie and Reimers cased each battalion's colors along with their respective commander and command sergeant major.

"The casing of the colors is a time-honored tradition dating back centuries," said Adgie. "It symbolizes a transition as units prepare to move, and begin a new mission."

"As we cased the battalion colors, I was struck by the number of streamers the regiments have earned," continued Adgie. "However, the colors and streamers are symbolic. The true spirit and pride is not in pieces of cloth, but in our Soldiers. Those young men and women who have volunteered to proudly serve their country."

The Ready First Combat Team is scheduled to be deployed until fall, 2013.