The ceremony marked the end of the Long Knife Brigade’s tour, one their commander said was very successful. “Our mission was to train, advise and enable the Iraqi security forces to improve efficiency and security and to work with provincial reconstruction teams to improve in governance and economics,” said Battaglia, a resident of Stony Point, N.Y. “I am very proud of how our Soldiers accomplished this mission.”
Battaglia pointed to two major events during the Long Knife Brigade’s tour that speak to the success of their mission: the handover of the Ziggurat to the Iraqi people and the combined live fire exercise in March with ISF troops, dubbed “Operation Lion Roar.” “The CALFEX was a defining moment in our mission,” said Battaglia. “That exercise showed the capability and the lethality of the Iraqi forces.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Edwin Rodriguez, senior enlisted leader for the Long Knife Brigade, said the mission of 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. was challenging, but the American and Iraqi forces came together from the outset. He characterized the CALFEX as “the capstone event of our tour.”
The Highlanders take over the mission now after preparing extensively for the work that lay ahead of them.
Newell, in an address to the service members and guests in attendance at the TOA ceremony, began by thanking the Long Knives for their hard work over the past year.
“Col. Battaglia and his team have much to be proud of and I thank them for their spirited support of our transition over the past month,” Newell said. “Because of their efforts to educate us we are much better prepared to assume our mission and continue their great work.” Newell pointed to specialized training the Highlanders received in partnership with the U.S. State Department, U.S. Border Patrol, the civil affairs command and civic leaders from the state of Texas as evidence that the mission in the tri-province area is ever-evolving.
“In doing so, we have harnessed the incredible capacity of our Soldiers to perform a wider variety of civil support and advisory tasks, all focused on advising, assisting and enabling our Iraqi partners to better serve the Iraqi people,” Newell said.
Newell ended his remarks by asking three things of his Iraqi counterparts.
“In return for our dedication to the Iraqi cause I ask only three things from my Iraqi brothers: your friendship, security for the Soldiers who work by your side and your patience as we complete our transition with the Long Knife brigade,” he said.
