Photo By Brooke Nevins | Seventeen Soldiers with the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, U.S. Army Space...... read more read more
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FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Soldiers from the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, received combat patches for their support to critical operations across the U.S. Central Command area of operations.
During a patching ceremony at Fort Carson on Aug. 8, seventeen Soldiers received the Army Central or 1st Space Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia for military operations in hostile conditions, commonly known as the combat patch. The battalion has faced an exceptionally high operational tempo supporting such missions abroad, Lt. Col. Ryan Stephenson, 1st Space Battalion commander, said.
“This patch being awarded today isn’t simply a piece of fabric,” he said. “It’s an outward symbol, a visible representation of having answered the nation’s call in a time of need. It signifies that you’ve stood ready, deployed forward, and performed your duty with courage and dedication.”
Less than two years after its founding in Dec. 1999, the battalion deployed forces to Afghanistan in Oct. 2001 and remained there until July 2021, encompassing all but two months of the Afghanistan campaigns.
The battalion held a presence in Iraq and Kuwait from 2003 until 2022 providing space support and space control planning teams, commercial imagery and various individual deployers as part of its mission to plan, integrate, synchronize and execute space control in support of the Army, combined and joint forces conducting combined arms warfare across all domains. The battalion comprises four companies and one battery, each with specific contributions to Army warfighting functions, conducting space operations globally.
“We are no strangers to deployments in the 1st Space Battalion,” Stephenson said. “But in recent years, many of our Soldiers have not been authorized the outward sign of the support to critical operations in harm’s way. I am proud to say that changes today.”
The Army expanded eligibility for the combat patch for Soldiers deployed to certain countries between Oct. 7, 2023, and June 24, 2025, within the U.S. Africa Command and CENTCOM areas of responsibility. Awarding the combat patch reflects the Army’s commitment to recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of all Soldiers serving in these operational environments.
“It's an honor to be a part of 1st Space Battalion and get the opportunity to serve my country,” Capt. Ben Hinkle, 2nd Space Company, said. “The battalion has always had units forward supporting combat units, and it's an honor to be a part of that proud tradition.”
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2025 14:16 |
| Story ID: | 545621 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 945 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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