TF Red Bulls transfer authority to TF Thunderbird

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Task Force Red Bulls, transferred authority of several provinces to the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Task Force Thunderbird, in the Transfer of Authority ceremony July 19, at Forward Operating Base Gamberi in eastern Afghanistan.

TF Thunderbird will be performing missions in several provinces throughout Afghanistan including Laghman, Panjshir and the western districts of Nuristan Provinces.

“This is not the first time the 34th and 45th have seen each other in the theater of operations,” said U.S. Army Col. Joel P. Ward, Commander of the 45th IBCT. “In Naples, Anzio and Rome, we’ve served together in some of the toughest combat in the European theater, and here in Afghanistan the Legacy lives on.”

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. James Richardson, Deputy Commanding General of Support, Combined Joint Task Force-1 talked about the successes the 2nd BCT had while deployed to Afghanistan.

The Red Bulls conducted two large air assaults into the valleys surrounding Bad Pakh and Do Ab Districts to reinforce local security and enable the Afghan National Security Forces to occupy the district centers that serve their people.

“I find it remarkable that the air assault in the Do Ab was the largest air assault conduced during the CJTF-101’s tour in Regional Command East,” said Richardson.

They also completed more than $48 million worth of development projects in 26 districts and in five provinces.

“This firmly set the conditions for the local and district governments self sustainment irreversible stability,” said Richardson. “The Red Bulls did all this and more while conducting base defence at Bagram preserving our safety through persistent surveillance and vigilant over watch.”  

The 45th deployed to Afghanistan once before in 2003 to Kabul serving as Embedded Trainers working with the Afghan National Army.

“Afghanistan has changed much since we’ve been here last, but the constant has been the 201st corps and the 1st Brigade of the 201st Corps,” said Ward. “The Thunderbirds were here in 2003 when the 1st Brigade first entered combat as a unit in the Afghan National Army, and now we have come again. Together we will fight the enemies of Afghanistan and the U.S.”