FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, Afghanistan – The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, uncased their colors during a transfer of authority ceremony on Forward Operating Base Shank, Logar Province, March 13.
The ceremony began with the playing of the Afghanistan and U.S. national anthems and the casing of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team’s colors by their command team, U.S. Army Col. Andrew Rohling and U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Coston.
After the 173rd’s command team cased their colors, U.S. Army Col. Kimo C. Gallahue, commander of 4th IBCT, 3rd Inf. Div., and U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Alan K. Hummel, the 4th IBCT command sergeant major, uncased their unit’s colors marking the transfer of responsibility for advising and assisting the Afghan National Security Forces in Logar and Wardak provinces from the 173rd, headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, to the ‘Vanguard Brigade.’ The 4th IBCT cased its colors at Fort Stewart, Ga., nearly a month ago as it prepared to deploy to Afghanistan.
Many distinguished guests were present including, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William C. Mayville, commander of Combined Joint Task Force-1, and Afghan Maj. Gen. Mohammed Sharif Yaftali, commander of the Afghan National Army’s 203rd Corps, who thanked the outgoing unit and welcomed the 4th IBCT.
Mayville highlighted the accomplishments of the ANA’s 4th Brigade, 203rd Corps and the 173rd ABCT’s many achievements and advancements in security, governance and development in Wardak and Logar provinces during the last nine months.
Mayville continued by addressing the Vanguard Brigade, known now as Task Force 4-3.
“To Vanguard, Col. Kimo Gallahue and the mighty Task Force 4-3, you have an important advisory mission in front of you, and in the next nine months you must increase the focus on achieving Afghan National Army and Afghan National Security Force self sufficiency,” he said. “I know you’ll continue to support our great Afghan partners as they take the lead for security of their communities, their province and their country.”
The ceremony concluded with the playing of “The Army Goes Rolling Along,” followed by refreshments and the welcoming of the 4th IBCT by ANSF and International Security Assistance Force leaders.
This is the Vanguard Brigade’s first deployment to Afghanistan. The brigade has three previous deployments to Iraq since their activation in 2004.