FORT CARSON, Colo. — Soldiers, leaders, Families and friends of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, welcomed a new commander and bid farewell to the outgoing commander during a ceremony June 9, 2021, at Founders Field.
Col. Grant S. Fawcett relinquished command of the “Iron” Brigade to Col. Stephen E. Capehart.
Maj. Gen. Matthew W. McFarlane, commanding general, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, oversaw the passing of the brigade colors during the ceremony.
McFarlane recognized the efforts of the brigade and its outgoing commander.
“What an awesome, awesome Colorado day for the Mountain Post to celebrate an amazing brigade and some amazing leadership here as we transition command at the mighty Iron Brigade,” McFarlane said.
Capehart replaced Fawcett, who served as the 3rd ABCT commander for the past two years. During his time in command, Fawcett led his Soldiers through a deployment in Kuwait, the challenges of the pandemic and a National Training Center rotation in Fort Irwin, California.
“Your performance over the last two years from Kuwait through the pandemic, to training for and excelling at the National Training Center, simply put, is awesome,” McFarlane said.
He praised Fawcett for his leadership and service.
At the helm for the last two years has been Grant Fawcett, a leader whose determination to accomplish each diverse mission was bested only by his commitment to the Soldiers of the brigade, McFarlane said.
“Grant, you succeeded in building a culture of pride, positivity and productivity across the Iron team,” McFarlane said. “His focus on people, caring for them and training them to do what they had to do on the battlefield resulted in the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team having the best retention numbers over the last two years in the division.”
Fawcett’s follow-on assignment will be as the executive officer for deputy commanding general at U.S. Army Forces Command Headquarters at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
“On behalf of your Soldiers and this division, this post and this community, I offer my deepest gratitude for your leadership,” McFarlane said.
Fawcett recognized his Soldiers for their accomplishments over the last two years while facing the challenges of the pandemic.
“If you look where we’re at now, it’s pretty incredible,” Fawcett said. “Despite the odds that were stacked against us, leaders and Soldiers in this brigade committed themselves to getting after a few fundamental priorities that are necessary to win on the battlefield. And when the time came to prove our mettle at the National Training Center, these leaders and these Soldiers absolutely excelled.”
He thanked the leaders and Soldiers in the brigade for their commitment to each other.
McFarlane welcomed Capehart and his Family back to Fort Carson.
“The Mountain Post is excited to have you back,” he said. “I have no doubt you will build upon the incredible achievements that Grant and the Iron team have accomplished.”
Capehart entered the Army in 1999 as a distinguished military graduate from the University of Tennessee. He’s served in a variety of command and staff positions to include battalion commander and the 4th Inf. Div. operations officer.
The Capehart Family is excited to be back at Fort Carson.
“Stephanie and I and the Family are so excited to be back home to the ‘Ivy’ Division,” Capehart said. “It’s truly a dream come true for us to come back to the Iron Brigade. This is Iron six signing on to the net.”
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