A tradition that has held fast within the 1st Infantry Division for more than nine decades was honored April 30 as current and former "Big Red One" Soldiers gathered in Alexandria, Va., for the 92nd Annual Officers of the First Division Dinner.
"It must be something special that keeps us coming back," said Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general of the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley. "I know what brings me back and that is the enduring spirit of the Big Red One."
The annual dinner traces its roots to a small group of World War I veterans who gathered in New York in 1919 to remember their fallen comrades, share war stories and celebrate the brotherhood of the 1st Inf. Div.
Over the years, men and women who have led their division through "hellish" battles in places like Cantigny, Soissons, the Meuse-Argonne Forest, Sicily, Srok Dong and the Sunni Triangle have gathered again and again to reflect on victories, learn from each other and honor those who have endured the sting of war and molded the Big Red One into one of the Army's fiercest fighting forces.
"It is an honor to be in the company of such great warriors," Brooks said.
One of the warriors present at the dinner was retired Lt. Gen. Thomas G. Rhame. Rhame, who led the division during Desert Storm, offered a few reflections on his command and how the Army has changed since the early 1990s.
Comparing things like today's technology and equipment to the technology and equipment his team had during Desert Storm, Rhame celebrated the power and success of the Army of the 21st Century.
"I am proud to say that today's (division) could put us to shame," he said. "It just keeps getting better and better."
Capt. Kyle Campbell, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot with the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, has "grown up" with the 1st Inf. Div. and deployed three times as a member of the Big Red One. A first-time dinner attendee, Campbell said she was honored to be among the heroes who built her division.
"It is amazing the variety of battles that we have been involved in and I think understanding this history gives us perspective on what we do today," she said.
The First Division Dinner was the grand finale of the Big Red One Soldiers' two day visit to the nation's capital. During their time in Washington, D.C., the BRO team walked in the footsteps of their Civil War brethren at the Battle of Manassas, toured monuments including the Vietnam and World War II Memorials and paid tribute to the division's fallen Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
"We are grateful for the time we have had to honor our past," Brooks said.
Also during the trip, Brooks and a few members of the division team visited injured BRO Soldiers currently being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to present Purple Hearts and a Combat Infantryman Badge.
"It takes a special kind of person, a special kind of citizen to protect this country," Brooks said addressing his injured Soldiers. "Your division is proud of you and your service and now it is your duty to heal."
Noting that there will be a lot of change within the division during the coming months, including his own change of command, Brooks said he was pleased to have one last opportunity to once again spend time with and offer his thanks to Big Red One veterans present and past.
"Thanks for giving us such a great history, thanks for your inspiration, thanks for your leadership," he said. "I want you all to know how much I appreciate each of you and how much I will treasure forever my time serving as commanding general of our division."
Social Sharing