WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | 3rd ID's CAB uncases colors in Afghanistan
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Colonel Don Galli, (right) commander of the 3rd CAB, and the 3rd CAB command Sgt. Maj. Richard Stidley (Source: Spc. Monica K. Smith)
Colonel Don Galli, (right) commander of the 3rd CAB, and the 3rd CAB command Sgt. Maj. Richard Stidley (Source: Spc. Monica K. Smith)
Command Sergeant Major Richard Stidley (left), Col. Don Galli, commander of the 3rd CAB (right) (Source: Spc. Monica K. Smith)
Soldiers from the 3rd CAB present their colors during a transfer of authority ceremony. (Source: Spc. Monica K. Smith)
Colonel Don Galli, (right) commander of the 3rd CAB, and the 3rd CAB command Sgt. Maj. Richard Stidley (Source: Spc. Monica K. Smith)By WTOC Staff
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - The Third Infantry Division's Combat Aviation Brigade uncased their colors in a transfer of authority ceremony on Tuesday, November 24 at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. The 3rd ID Aviation Brigade left from Hunter Army Airfield for Afghanistan on November 16. See 300 troops deploying from HAAF.
Most of the soldiers arrived in November; however, some were deployed as early as this past September.
"The 3rd Infantry Division is a world-renowned fighting organization that is known for two things: starting a fight, and finishing one," said Col. Don Galli, commander of the 3rd CAB, in a news release. "The Marne Air Brigade is dedicated to that purpose as the first combat brigade from the 3rd Infantry Division to join the fight in Afghanistan."
The 3rd CAB, now Task Force Falcon, took over for the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and will fall under the 82nd Airborne Division's operations in and around Regional Command East.
The majority of Soldiers from the 3rd CAB, now Task Force Falcon, based out of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., began arriving in late summer in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Taking over for 159th CAB (Task Force Thunder), 101st Airborne Division, the 3rd CAB will fall under the 82nd Airborne Division's operations in and around Regional Command East. As Task Force Falcon took control they paid homage to the outgoing Task Force Thunder.
"(The 159th CAB has) served our Nation and the cause of freedom in Afghanistan with honor and you have added to the legend of the 101st Airborne Division, Air Assault," said Galli in a news release. "Your brigade has set the standard by which all of Army Aviation will be measured. Today, as we transfer authority from Task Force Thunder to Task Force Falcon, the records we seek to break are yours."
Though the majority of the brigade arrived in November, components of the brigade began deploying from Hunter Army Airfield as early as September.
"All National Guard units have a deployment cycle of 12-months long, including their mobilization time, which results in about nine months in country before having to go home," said 3rd CAB Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Stidley in an newsrelease. "Because their cycle is off from the CAB, we sent out our MEDEVAC Company ahead to take on the missions of the outgoing National Guard MEDEVAC company."
The 3rd CAB is comprised of four task forces: UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and MEDEVAC helicopters, AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters, CH-47D Chinook helicopters and the OH-58 Kiowa Warriors.
The 3rd CAB is being supported by not only their aviation support battalion, but also an intergrated reserve component from Texas.
This is the Brigade's fourth deployment since 2003. Previous deployments include the initial invasion into Iraq in 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom III in 2005 and Operation Iraqi Freedom V in 2007.
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