Lancers case colors in Afghanistan

By Staff Sgt. Kristen Duus/Combined Team Ready First Public Affairs

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The Combined Team Ready First assumed battle space responsibility from 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division “Lancers,” from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Jan. 7. The ceremony was held at Camp Nathan Smith, Afghanistan, and hosted multiple Afghan dignitaries as well as Maj. Gen. Robert “Abe” Abrams, Regional Command-South commander.

The Lancer Brigade has been in Afghanistan since late spring 2011, performing missions that spanned nearly 15,000 square kilometers of northern Kandahar Province, including Kandahar City.

“CTF Lancer Soldiers mark this deployment by accomplishing some of the most complex and difficult tasks assigned to anywhere in RC-South,” Abrams said. “Lancers brought Afghan National Security Forces into the lead this past summer, mentoring and developing all the pillars of the Afghan National Security Forces.”

The Lancer colors were cased by Col. Barry F. Huggins, 2nd Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. commander, and Command Sgt. Major Andrew B. Connette, brigade command sergeant major. Following the casing of the Lancer colors, the Combined Team Ready First’s colors were uncased by Col. Ken Adgie, CTRF commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Reimers, CTRF command sergeant major.

“To the men and women of Combined Team Ready First, your reputation precedes you,” Abrams said. “Ever since our first engagement in the division mission rehearsal exercise, you have done nothing but impress us.”

Abrams challenged the Soldiers of CTRF to continue pushing the bar higher every day by reevaluating the complex environment, embracing the partnerships 2nd Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. handed off and continuing to press Afghan partners toward independence.

“Today’s ceremony marks the change of one brigade for another and an opportunity to reconfirm our commitment to the Afghan people,” Adgie said.

CTRF’s mission in Afghanistan is to support the government of Afghanistan and enable the Afghan National Security Forces.

“We will not falter or fail in the development of the Afghan National Security Forces and the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” Abrams said. “Afghans can win, and they will win. Afghanistan will stand on its own, but it will not stand alone.”

Lancer Soldiers are returning to JBLM in waves continuing through the week of Jan. 21.