1st ID Forward returns from Poland

Photo By Sgt. Jared Simmons | Maj. Gen. John Kolasheski, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division, gives a speech on June 7th, at Fort Riley, Kansas. The speech was given to Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division Forward, which had just returned from a near two year deployment to Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Jared Simmons)  

FORT RILEY, KS, UNITED STATES

06.08.2020

Story by Pfc. Jared Simmons 

19th Public Affairs Detachment

FORT RILEY, Kan.-- The 1st Infantry Division Forward returned to Fort Riley on June 7th from a more than two year deployment to Poland, six days after relinquishing mission command to the 1st Cavalry Division Forward.
“For 27 months, this division has been performing command and control of rotational forces on NATO’s eastern flank,” said Maj. Gen. John Kolasheski, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division. “You, across the division, have made a difference.”
The 1st ID Forward initially deployed to Poznan, Poland, in February of 2018. The unit worked to deter foreign aggression while simultaneously training and enhancing the readiness of our own Soldiers as well as those of our allies, increasing interoperability, and strengthening the United States’ bonds with with over ten of our allied partners.
Under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Thomas O’Connor, commander of 1st ID Forward, and Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson, the unit’s senior enlisted advisor, the 1st ID Forward commanded and controlled many different units to include five rotationally-deployed armored brigade combat teams, five rotations of combat aviation brigades, and four civil affairs battalions.
Combined with the units they oversaw, they partook in four combined Atlantic Resolve rotations, seven Army Europe exercises, and the inclusion of Greece as a partner in the Atlantic Resolve mission.
In an early morning ceremony, the returning Soldiers held a socially distanced formation, and a brief speech was given at Fort Riley’s deployment support facility.
“These Soldiers continued to generate their readiness while they were deployed,” said Lt. Col. John Brock, battalion commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion. “With our National Training Center rotation coming up, they’ll be able to put their training the test.”
Although Families could not attend the ceremony as a COVID-19 precaution, it was livestreamed to the 1st Infantry Division Facebook page and can be rewatched there at any time.
Soldiers with the 1st ID Forward were temporarily quarantined before departing Poland, and will be re-quarantined on Fort Riley.
“Sergeant Major Harris and I could not be prouder, “ Kolasheski stated, “Thank you, and job well done.”

• Date Taken: 06.08.2020
• Date Posted: 06.08.2020 13:10
• Story ID: 371674
• Location: FORT RILEY, KS, US