KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- The brilliant autumn day provided a beautiful setting for the 7th Civil Support Command's reflagging ceremony at the Parade Field on Daenner Kaserne Oct. 25.
Brig. Gen. Jimmie Jaye Wells, the commanding general of 7th CSC, and Command Sgt. Maj. David Stading, the 7th CSC's command sergeant major, were present to case the 7th Army Reserve Command colors and unveil the colors of the 7th CSC.
Brig. Gen. Patricia E. McQuistion, the commanding general of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, gave the keynote speech.
"It is such an honor to be here for such an exciting and historic event - one which sets the final exclamation point to the distinguished history of the 7th Army Reserve Command and celebrates the activation of the 7th Civil Support Command," she said.
As part of the transformation process, the 7th ARCOM, which dates back to 1956, moved its headquarters from Schwetzingen to Kaiserslautern last summer. There it collocated with the 21st TSC, its higher headquarters before recently moving to Daenner Kaserne.
"With the activation of the 7th Civil Support Command, we celebrate the transformation of this remarkable unit into the premier deployable civil support command not just in Europe, but within the United States Army.
And though we will fold the flag of the 7th ARCOM, its history and accomplishments will be forever a part of the 7th CSC," McQuistion said.
The 7th CSC provides foreign consequence management command and control, civil support team and civil affairs capabilities, as directed by 21st TSC. The reserve unit prides itself on being "An Ocean Closer" to the world's potential trouble spots since its nearly 1,000 Soldiers assigned to 18 reserve units are all stationed overseas - in Vicenza, Italy and throughout Germany.
"It is arguably the best integrated unit in the U.S. Army with its unique relationships with its active Army counterparts and its growing relationship with NATO countries. The 7th CSC provides the 21st TSC, (U.S. Army Europe) and the 7th Army with trained and ready units," McQuistion said.
The transformation of the 7th CSC serves a two-fold purpose.
"The resultant restructuring meets the needs of today's battlefields and ensures that the command remains a relevant, ready, and responsive expeditionary force, strategically positioned and postured for the 21st century," McQuistion said.
McQuistion continued by citing a number of exercises and deployments that have taken the Soldiers of the 7th CSC to locations around the world and concluded by saying, "We could go on, but I believe you all already know how truly relevant, ready and responsive this magnificent command is. Although we're just standing up the new colors today, this unit is already operating at the forefront as the Army Reserve's expeditionary force in Europe."
As part of the ceremony, 7th CSC Soldiers on the parade field and in the bleachers took a moment to assist each other with replacing their 7th ARCOM unit patches with their new 7th CSC unit patches.
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