JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Nov. 30, 2018) -- Leaders from the 410th Contracting Support Brigade cased their unit colors during a ceremony Nov. 30 at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, as the unit prepares to deploy to Afghanistan for a nine-month deployment.
Col. Robert McDonald and Command Sgt. Maj. Sol Nevarezberrios cased the brigade colors in a ceremony officiated by Col. (P) Christine Beeler, the Army Contracting Command deputy to the commanding general for operations outside the continental United States at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
"The 410th Contracting Support Brigade is one of the Army's premier contracting organizations, and the brigade's motto, 'Vigilant Response,' is the 410th's mission in Afghanistan -- to provide the support, goods and services that U.S. forces and our allies require to accomplish their missions," Beeler said.
Speaking to the brigade's leadership, Beeler said in addition to accomplishing the mission, they also need to care of the Soldiers and Army civilians under their command.
"It is an incredible responsibility, and I am confident that you can and will handle it with the utmost professionalism," Beeler said. "Look out for your battle-buddy. Become involved with them, and help them get through the deployment."
The brigade will assume the duties as the command and control element of Army Contracting Command-Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel. This will be the brigade's third deployment in the last 10 years to Afghanistan.
Operation Freedom's Sentinel encompasses two missions in support of the Afghan government and its people. U.S. armed forces continue to train, advise and assist Afghan security forces as part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission. OFS also aims to help secure and build upon gains as a follow-on to Operation Enduring Freedom.
"We will do our part to ensure the freedoms for the Afghan people," McDonald said. "The past 15 months has prepared us for the mission at hand. The men and women of the 410th CSB are fully trained and ready for this demanding mission to plan, coordinate and deliver agile, effects-based contracting for coalition forces during operations in Afghanistan. I look forward to showing the Army and our nation what we can do."
Located at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the 410th CSB is made up of approximately 70 Soldiers and 50 civilian employees assigned to the brigade headquarters staff, 916th Contracting Battalion, Regional Contracting Center-Americas, and regional contracting offices in Miami, Key West, Florida, Soto Cano, Honduras, Bogota, Columbia, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The brigade is responsible for planning and executing contingency contracting support for the U.S. Army South in support of Army and joint operations throughout the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. It is a subordinate command to the ACC at Redstone Arsenal.
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