FORT BRAGG, N.C. - More than 100 soldiers from the 82nd Sustainment Brigade Headquarters departed from Pope Army Airfield Oct. 12 for a nine month deployment to Afghanistan.
While supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, the Soldiers from the brigade’s headquarters will assume responsibility as the headquarters personnel for the U.S. Central Command Materiel Recovery Element (CMRE). The headquarters’ element will take on the mission to facilitate base closures and transfers of forward operating bases to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan by accounting for and processing of military equipment as the U.S. prepares to redeploy forces from Afghanistan.
Immediately prior to boarding their flight and saying their final goodbyes to their families, the troops marched into the passenger terminal as part of a deployment ceremony, which included remarks from their commanding officer, Col. Mark D. Collins, and guest speaker, British Brig. Gen. Giles Hill, deputy commanding general of interoperability, 82nd Airborne Division.
“You deploy at a critical time, to perform a critical mission,” said Hill in his opening comments. “The transition to Afghan Security Forces is progressing well, and out of that success comes the requirement to reshape the theater laydown, to redeploy people and move equipment to places where it is needed next. It is some challenge which will take careful planning, your expert judgment and above all else, your hard work and dedication to get it right.”
“You are well trained and well prepared,” he added. “As individuals and as a team, I know you will perform with the same courage, honor and dedication of your predecessors. You will be successful; of that there is no doubt.”
A few other highlights from the ceremony included an invocation, the playing of the National Anthem, the XVIII Airborne Corps Medley and the Army Song.
Deploying troops said they look forward to starting their mission.
“I’m excited about the mission and it really feels good to get it going,” said Cartersville, Ga. native, Sgt. Jeremy Nelson, training noncommissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82nd Special Troops Battalion. “It’s a privilege and honor to be able to serve in Afghanistan.”
“This is going to be a great opportunity to experience many different things,” said Manning, S.C. native, Pfc. Eugene Felder, who also works for HHC, 82nd STB. “Once I get back home from this deployment I feel like I’ll have some good stories to tell as we are part of a historical mission.”
As a few soldiers from the 82nd Sustainment Brigade move forward to take on the CMRE mission, the majority of the brigade’s troops will remain at Fort Bragg serving under the 82nd Sustainment Brigade Provisional Headquarters, which will continue the brigade’s mission of providing major logistical support to Fort Bragg and its tenant units.
The 82nd Sustainment Brigade Headquarters’ troops will take over the CMRE mission from the 43rd Sustainment Brigade Headquarters, which is home-based at Fort Carson, Colo.
| Date Taken: |
10.12.2013 |
| Date Posted: |
10.30.2013 15:05 |
| Story ID: |
115959 |
| Location: |
FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: |
CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: |
MANNING, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: |
141 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, Providers deploy to Afghanistan, by SFC Jon Cupp, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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