FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- Soldiers with various units of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team "Strike," 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), furled and cased their colors for their next �"Rendezvous with Destiny" in a ceremony Jan. 23 at the Passenger Processing Facility here.
The casing of the Brigade's unit colors is a Military tradition, signifying the unit's readiness for deployment before their departure for Afghanistan.
"We case our colors not to retire from the fight, but rather to signify that once again the Strike Brigade will be leaving our post, our homes and our loved ones, for combat," said Col. Peter Benchoff, the commander of 2nd BCT. "We case our colors to signify the closing of our period of training and preparation."
The ceremony marks the sixth time since 9/11 that Soldiers from Strike Brigade have cased their unit colors; three deployments to Iraq and three to Afghanistan.
Lt. Col. Mark R. Sherkey, the commander of 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd BCT, 101st Abn. Div., said the ceremony "signifies our past, signifies our present and signifies the things that we are getting ready to do in the future."
The Brigade will deploy as a Security Force Assistance Brigade, to assist and train their Afghan counterparts.
The Brigade had a similar mission during its recent deployment in 2012.
"We are doing the advisory mission we did in 2012, but this deployment we have our security forces whereas before we just provided advisors," Benchoff said. "The mission has evolved as Afghan capabilities have grown."
The Brigade will assist the Afghans with improving internal systems within their military and security forces.
"Our role will be one of support to build strong enduring Afghan logistical, training and war fighting institutions to secure the hard earned gains we have made over the past 13 years," said Benchoff.
Benchoff commended the Soldiers and Families of Strike for their support of the deploying personal.
"It's one team; it's the families and the soldiers. We cannot deploy this brigade six times without the full support of the families and the communities," he said. "This area is a great place to be a soldier because you know your family is going to get taking care of while you're deployed."
Benchoff said that his brigade is prepared and ready for their current deployment.
"While conducting combat operations are not our primary mission during this deployment, I can assure you the Strike Brigade is well trained, equipped and ready to fight, when directed," he said.
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