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4th BCT cases colors for trip to Iraq
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Members of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team participate in a color-casing ceremony Friday on Fort Stewart’s Cottrell Field. - photo by Photo by Charlotte Marten

Members of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team stood tall Friday morning on Cottrell Field to watch as the brigade’s flag was furled and covered with a protective canvas bag. Temperatures hovered around 90 degrees.

Brigade Commander Col. Lou Lartigue reminded everyone in attendance that the color casing marked the final step in the
brigade’s preparation for its upcoming deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This overseas deployment will differ from the 4th IBCT’s previous missions. Since its last rotation, the unit transitioned from a heavy brigade to a light brigade. Lartigue said the troops will function in an "advise and assist" position, working closely with their Iraqi counterparts.

Color casing is an Army tradition that symbolizes the movement of a division to a new theater of operation.

The 4th IBCT will be deployed for about 12 months to the Al Anbar Province in central Iraq. The combat team deployed its first 150 soldiers to Iraq on Saturday. Lartigue leaves July 5.

"We have converted our mindset to a leaner capable force to qualify to assist our Iraqi partners," the commander said. "We’ve turned in all our tanks and Bradleys and heavy equipment. We are mostly a dismounted formation with some real vehicles but outfitted, trained and equipped for light missions."

He said this particular rotation will be unique. "We will be the last ones out and we are ready for the mission ahead … This deployment is not just another turn. It’s our turn," Lartigue said.

Katie Moran, 25, an Army spouse, said she and her 2-year-old daughter are sad to see Moran’s husband leave for Iraq again. "I am very nervous this time, but I am always proud of my husband," she said.

Lartigue said he is extremely proud to be the brigade commander. The troops’ accomplishments, he said, would not be possible without the support of their families. "Soldiers focus on their mission knowing that their families are safe and cared for," he said.

The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will replace the 1st Brigade 82nd Airborne out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

"We have trained long and hard to deploy and we are ready to close the deal," Lartigue said. "We do this for our country and for our children’s future."

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Exchange Service salutes Vietnam vets with custom truck design
Army and Air Force Exchange Service redesigned logo 2011

To thank Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is debuting a new truck design, part of the Department of Defense retailer’s efforts alongside the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to honor veterans during the 50th anniversary of the war.

“The Exchange is privileged to have the opportunity to recognize Vietnam veterans through our fleet,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era. “These trucks will serve as rolling billboards, expressing gratitude for all who served during this era.”

The truck design features the silhouette of a lone service member set against the background of a faded horizon with a call to “thank a Vietnam veteran for service to our nation.” The single military member represents the warfighters who served during this time.

Three trucks in the fleet feature the commemorative design and will deliver merchandise to Exchange stores from the organization’s distribution centers in the continental United States.

The West Coast Distribution Center at Sharpe Army Depot in California; Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va.; and the Waco Distribution Center in Texas will each have a truck in service on their standard delivery routes, serving the whole country.

Air Force veteran Pat Thompson served in Vietnam before coming to the Exchange as a truck driver and mechanic. In his 18 years with the Exchange, he has deployed four times to support the troops. The new design means a lot to him.

“They remember,” said Thompson, who is based at the Exchange’s Waco Distribution Center. “We want to be remembered.”

The trucks also highlight the veteran online shopping benefit, which launched in November. The lifelong online military exchange benefit authorizes all who served honorably to enjoy tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing at ShopMyExchange.com.

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The U.S. began commemoration of the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary in 2012 and will continue through Veterans Day 2025.

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the commemoration.

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