Photo By Sgt. Kandi Huggins | Col. Eric Welsh, commander, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division,...... read more read more
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CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – The 12th Iraqi Army Division, under the command of staff Brig. Gen. Sameer Abdul Kareen, hosted a partnership luncheon with the “Devil” Brigade, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., at the 12th Iraqi Army Division Headquarters on Nov. 22.
The luncheon provided an opportunity for the two units to strengthen the relationship built between the 12thIA Div.and its partner American unit.
From a historical perspective, the units’partnership is somewhat ironic.
The 12th IA Div. is the newest division in the Iraqi army; while the Devil Brigade is the oldest continually active unit in the U.S. Army.
Col. Eric Welsh, commander, 1st AATF, 1st Inf. Div., concluded the luncheon by presenting Sameer and his staff with brigade coins.
Welsh used the opportunity as a chance to explain the history of the Army’s oldest brigade.
“While this is just a piece of metal that can be made by anyone, the significance of this coin is what is important,” said Welsh. “This signifies the Devil Brigade as being the Army’s oldest continually active unit — and a unit that has never retreated from any challenge in its long history.”
He explained the Devil Brigade earned its namesake in the trenches of World War I, when German soldiers witnessed the brigade’s continuous attacks despite being hit with poison gas, artillery and machinegun fire.
The Germans believed that only devils could survive in such an environment as the American soldiers continued to advance. Upon hearing this the1st BCT, 1st Inf. Div. soon adopted the moniker for its own as a source of pride.
“Today,” said Welsh, “both Americans and Iraqis have endured sacrifices to uphold the freedoms we believe in, and I present this to you as a small token of the sacrifices your people have endured.”
“There is no mission too difficult, and there is no sacrifice too great,” concluded Welsh, referencing the motto of the 1st Inf. Div.
In addition to the luncheon providing a chance to talk about unit history, the event also gave both staffs the opportunity to meet each other and discuss ways to improve their respective units.
“I think this is a great opportunity to meet in an informal setting and exchange ideas about how to be better staff officers,” said Maj. Danny Cazier, who advises the Iraqi public relations and information operations officers of the 12th IA Div.
“Sometimes the best ideas don’t get talked about inside an office,” he said. “Often it’s when we are sitting down at lunch or drinking chai.”
| Date Taken: | 11.22.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.27.2010 08:58 |
| Story ID: | 60954 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING STATION WARRIOR, IQ |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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