FORT DRUM, N.Y (May 28, 2015) -- The Muleskinner Brigade now bears a new name and its Soldiers wear a new patch on their shoulders.
The 10th Sustainment Brigade was redesignated as the 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade and Soldiers donned the 10th Mountain Division (LI) shoulder sleeve insignia during a ceremony held May 20 in front of the brigade headquarters.
The retired unit colors were cased by Col. David Gillum, 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Ann Sydnor, brigade senior enlisted adviser. The new brigade colors were unveiled shortly after.
Muleskinners can trace their heritage back to the alpine infantryman and the pack mules that formed the mountain medical, quartermaster and ordnance maintenance battalions, which supported the 10th Infantry Division during World War II.
The division trains, as they were called, were organized and assigned to the 10th Infantry Division on June 14, 1957, and were activated July 1, 1957, in Germany.
The division was officially reactivated Feb. 13, 1985, as the 10th Mountain Division (LI) at Fort Drum, and the Muleskinners found a new home after being redesignated as the 10th Division Support Command. The brigade was redesignated once again in May 2005 and became known as the 10th Sustainment Brigade, but that was not the last time the brigade changed its name.
"We are now the 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade," Gillum said with pride as he addressed his Soldiers. "It seems like such a small thing really: a different flag, a new patch, a couple of extra words in the unit's name. But it means a lot."
Although the brigade will maintain its general support mission and focus echelons above brigade, the Army has formally directed that the Muleskinners rejoin the 10th Mountain Division.
"I'm proud to the wear the patch of the 10th Mountain Division," said Sgt. 1st Class Tamla Bumbury, brigade plans noncommissioned officer in charge. "Not to say that I wasn't proud to wear the 10th Sustainment Brigade patch, but now I feel like a true member of the 10th Mountain Division Family."
Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Bannister, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum commander, removed the old Sustainment Brigade patch from Gillum's shoulder and replaced it with the powder keg and mountain tab. Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Lewis, 10th Mountain Division (LI) senior enlisted adviser, did the same for Sydnor.
The Muleskinner command team then replaced patches on the battalion commanders and sergeants major, who then did the same with their company commanders and first sergeants. Throughout the rest of the day, similar ceremonies were held across the Muleskinner Brigade as companies donned the new patch.
"Our patch no longer marks us as different," Gillum said in his closing remarks. "While the 10th Mountain Division has always treated us as part of the team, we now wear the same uniform. We will sustain the division under divisional colors and will do so proudly wearing the 10th Mountain Division patch."
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