Warrior Brigade Soldiers return from deployment, command team uncases colors

By Staff Sgt. Grant Matthes, 1st Brigade Combat Team PAO NCOICMay 26, 2016

1st Brigade Combat Team Uncasing
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Scott M. Naumann and Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy L. Rose, commander and senior enlisted adviser of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), uncase the brigade's colors Saturday at Fort Drum after a nine-month deployment to Iraq and Ku... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
1st Brigade Combat Team welcome home
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Soldier with 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI) reunites with his Family at Fort Drum on Saturday after a nine-month deployment to Iraq and Kuwait in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The brigade's main focus during the deplo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Over the past month, some 1,200 Soldiers with 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI) have returned to Fort Drum from a nine-month deployment to Iraq and Kuwait in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

Col. Scott M. Naumann and Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy L. Rose, 1st Brigade Combat Team commander and senior enlisted adviser, respectively, uncased the brigade's colors Saturday at Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield before a welcome home ceremony. The uncasing signifies the return of the brigade command team.

"Our primary mission was to conduct advise and assist training, which was with the Iraqi army as they defeat (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) throughout Iraq," Naumann said. "It's really important because (ISIS is) a worldwide scourge. They're in Brussels, they're even threatening our own country and the actions that we're supporting our partners with in Iraq are helping to combat (ISIS') barbaric acts around the world."

On the day of their Soldiers' return, friends, Family Members and loved ones patiently waited at Fort Drum's Magrath Sports Complex to see their Soldiers face to face for the first time in months.

"(These Soldiers) are ready to be back, and I'll tell you this is a great time to be back in the North Country," Naumann said. "It's spring time right now, and we're coming up on Memorial Day weekend. Considering what we've been doing for the past nine months, I'll tell you, it's a great time to be back here and just to think about not only our service over the past nine months, but those who've come before us."

Even after Army units redeploy, Soldiers must continue to train in order to keep their skills sharp and to maintain a great sense of readiness.

"We're going to do some reintegration training," Naumann said. "Being away for nine months, you kind of have to get reacquainted with Family and reacquainted with the routines here, and then we're going to start training. The Army wants us to build and sustain readiness and for whatever mission we have coming up we're going to get ready for that by doing some good, hard training."

The support of the Families and loved ones of deployed Soldiers is critical to success and helps to motivate and raise morale.

"We're really proud of what we've done, and our team but we couldn't have done it without all the Families," Naumann said. "Not only our own Families, but the community here -- the greater Fort Drum community -- for the incredible sacrifices by everyone that allow us to do our job and allow us to maintain our focus, so we appreciate that."

Brig Gen. Paul Bontrager, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum acting senior commander, spoke briefly during the ceremony.

"It is in fact a beautiful day as we take a moment to rejoin the 1st Brigade Families to their Soldiers," he said.

Bontrager went on to thank the Families and friends of the deployed Soldiers for their dedication.

"Throughout this last deployment, we truly could not do what we do without your love and support, and for that we are eternally grateful." he said. "To the Soldiers of 1st Brigade, I hope you have a profound feeling of satisfaction for a job well done. The world is simple a better and safer place because of your duty and commitment."