4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division

At the turn of the century, the Army began an ambitious program of transformation that redesigned the force structure of our combat units. The Army Transformation initiatives were developed to create highly mobile, more lethal, and more flexible capabilities that support the rapid build-up of combat power wherever needed across the globe.

Part of that transformation was the creation of new brigades in each of the ten Army divisions – then termed Units of Action. The Patriot Brigade is one of those new units. The structure of the brigade provides for organic Infantry, Cavalry, Field Artillery, maintenance, logistic and support capabilities.

The 4^th Brigade, 10^th Mountain Division, was officially activated at Fort Polk on the 19^th of January, 2005. At its inception, the brigade included just a few hundred soldiers, and very limited amounts of equipment, billeting, and even office space.

The brigade leadership immediately set to work to rapidly build combat power and capabilities in anticipation of deployment in support of the Global War on Terror.

The 4^th Brigade, along with its six subordinate battalions, conducted their first Brigade-level exercise at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, in April 2005 – just three short months after the activation.

The levels of training and leadership in the brigade expanded rapidly, and by summer of 2005, soldiers conducted company-level, combined arms live-fire exercises.

In the midst of preparing for deployment, elements across the brigade provided disaster response and relief in Louisiana to help mitigate the devastating effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the fall of 2005. Soldiers deployed to New Orleans, as well as the local Fort Polk community to offer assistance.

Once completed with their disaster relief missions, soldiers returned their focus to preparing for combat deployment at the second brigade-level exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center in November, 2005.

Since January, 2006, the Brigade has deployed over two thousand five hundred soldiers to the front lines of freedom. The majority of them have deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, although Patriot soldiers have also deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Throughout 2006, several formations within the brigade operated in Afghanistan. The brigade command and headquarters established the first US National Command Element in Kandahar in order to facilitate the transfer of authority of combat operations to NATO-led Coalition allies.

The 94^th Brigade Support Battalion conducted logistics support through convoy operations, aerial re-supply, and forward-deployed support companies throughout tens of thousands of square miles of Southern and Eastern Afghanistan.

2-4 Infantry Battalion formed the nucleus of Task Force Warrior; a light Infantry Task Force that conducted combat and nation-building operations in Kabul, and other provinces, in Southern Afghanistan as part of a multi-national, Coalition brigade. Later, Task Force Warrior moved to eastern Afghanistan to support operations being conducted by the 10^th Mountain Division as part of Combined Joint Task Force 76. Task Force Warrior returned home in November, 2006.

Task Force Boar, formed around 2-30 Infantry Battalion, then assumed authority from Task Force Warrior in eastern Afghanistan, where they are conducting combat and nation-building operations that will strengthen the burgeoning Afghan government and civil authorities.

Patriot soldiers and leaders at all levels worked in Afghanistan to nurture the relationships between our Coalition forces and the Afghan people. In a short period of time, they conducted dozens of humanitarian operations throughout distant and remote parts of the country. These operations provided needed medical and veterinary assistance, built schools and clinics, improved infrastructure such as roads, wells and communication, and established trained and capable Afghan police, Army and civil leadership presence.

In addition to reconstruction and humanitarian efforts, brigade soldiers conducted non-stop combat operations in order to improve the security situation and eliminate Taliban and al Qaeda networks and influence.

Since the brigade’s activation, they built an organization consisting of over three thousand five hundred soldiers, developed their leaders, fielded dozens of new systems, and deployed whenever called upon to conduct any mission.

The brigade’s contributions at home and across the world exemplify the patriotism and dedication of the men and women you see before you today. The Patriot’s stand ready to answer the nation’s call today and in the future.

The brigade motto exemplifies the fact that this unit was “Forged for War”.

For more information visit the Patriot's homepage: http://www.jrtc-polk.army.mil/4-10/index.htm