FORT STEWART, Ga. - Soldiers from 1st "Battle Boars" Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Third Infantry Division, departed for a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan following a colors casing ceremony held at Fort Stewart's Marne Garden, Feb. 1.
The Soldiers from 1/30 Inf., 2HBCT, represent the first combat ground Soldiers from the Marne Division to deploy to Afghanistan.
"The Soldiers of 1/30 are ready for this mission," said Col. Col. Douglas C. Cardinale, commander, 2HBCT, 3rd ID, during the battalions colors casing ceremony. "They are fit, trained and above all disciplined. Less than three months ago the battalion received their mission to deploy in support of operations in Afghanistan, a fact that proves the Soldiers of the Spartan Brigade are ready for any mission anytime, anywhere."
The "Battle Boars" battalion was originally constituted in 1901 and was assigned to the 3rd ID in 1917. Since then the unit has participated in every campaign from Anzio to Baghdad that the 3rd ID has been a part of.
Originally an Infantry unit, the battalion was reorganized as a combat arms battalion in 2006 as part of the Army's modular combat brigades.
However for their deployment to Afghanistan the unit has transformed itself back to a light infantry unit, according to Lt. Col. Michael Jason, commander, 1/30 Infantry.
"When the mission came, because of the agile and inspiring leadership from the Soldiers of this unit we transformed back to heritage and lineage as a light infantry battalion," said Lt. Col. Jason.
During the three-month transition to a light infantry, Lt. Col. Jason said, the Families are the key to this rapid transition.
"We stand in awe of the support, agility, and resiliency of the Families of 3rd ID as they supported us through this transition. The Families allowed us to focus on the mission at hand and we cannot thank them enough," said Lt. Col. Jason.
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