Rakkasans uncase colors

Photo By Staff Sgt. Patrick Kirby | The Rakkasan Soldiers march out of the hangar after the uncasing of the colors to continue to their next mission at Fort Campbell, Kentucky on July 24. (US Army photo by Spc. Patrick Kirby)  

FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

07.17.2017

Story by Spc. Patrick Kirby 

40th Public Affairs Detachment

This is the Brigades ninth deployment since 9/11 to either Iraq or Afghanistan. It is their fifth deployment to Afghanistan.
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The Rakkasans’ main focus was to provide support to North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Resolute Support, train, advise and assist mission as part of Train, Advice and Assist Command-South headquartered in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
The Rakkasans objective for the train, advise and assist mission was to build the capacity of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense (Army), Ministry of Interior (Police) and to strengthen Afghanistan’s National Defense and Security Forces.
The Rakkasans Soldiers were instrumental in building ANDSF capacity in several critical areas which include: infantry tactics, combined operations planning and execution between Afghan army and police units, logistics, personnel accountability and finance.
Uncasing of the colors symbolizes all Rakkasan Soldiers are back at Fort Campbell and are ready to deploy again.
“That truly symbolizes what a great organization the Rakkasans truly are,” said Brigadier Gen. Tom Boyer deputy commanding general 101st Abn. Div.. “Not only did they have an absolutely fantastic mission completed over in Afghanistan, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. But uncasing the colors shows they are ready to go again.”
Rakkasan Soldiers were spread out over 3 Continents during the last nine months: North America, Europe and Asia.
While in Afghanistan, Soldiers attached to the train, advise and assist mission worked with Soldiers from five other countries to include: Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, Uganda and Australia. Their main goal was to advise, assist and coach Afghan military and police forces on weapons, operations and finance.
Forces were also supporting operations in the continuous Helmand Province in Southwestern Afghanistan. In addition, the Rakkasans supported efforts with counterterrorism operations against al Qaeda, its affiliates, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan in Afghanistan. The Soldiers assigned to the Anti-Terror mission in Kandahar main mission was building safe passage for Afghan leaders to be able to get around.
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• Date Taken: 07.17.2017
• Date Posted: 09.10.2017 18:23
• Story ID: 247665
• Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US