1st Infantry Division Public Affairs:
After nine months in Iraq, the 1st Infantry Division has returned to the Flint Hills.
Led by Maj. Gen. Paul E. Funk II and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Grinston, a group of Soldiers from Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Inf. Div., returned June 29 to Fort Riley from a nine-month deployment split between Iraq andsouthwest Asia. During the brief welcome-home ceremony, Funk and Grinston uncased the DHHB colors, signifying the end of the headquarters’ mission. All DHHB Soldiers are expected to be back at Fort Riley by next month.
“It’s great to be home,” Funk said during the ceremony. “You should be
immensely proud of this team.” The headquarters formed the core of the Combined Joint Land Component Command-Iraq, which was responsible for the advising and assisting Iraq’s
security forces and providing training to newly built Iraqi army units as
part of Operation Inherent Resolve. Although no stranger to Iraq, this was
the “Big Red One’s” first deployment in an advise-assist capacity.
About 500 Soldiers from the DHHB deployed in October 2014 as part of the
United States’ strategy to degrade and destroy ISIL. The troops’ mission was
to advise and assist the Iraqi Security Forces to help them go on the
offense against ISIL and conduct intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance flights.
During its deployment, the division headquarters built strong relationships
with Iraqi Army generals, assisted and advised leaders at every level of
command and built combat power to generate momentum in the fight against
ISIL.
“The Iraqi Jundi (soldiers) are keen to learn, proud of their country and
they wish to defeat the terrorist threat to their families and homes as much
as we do,” Funk said in an earlier statement. “I believe that they will do
it.”
The Big Red One handed over command of Combined Joint Forces Land Component
Command-Iraq to the 82nd Airborne Division June 28 in Baghdad, Iraq.
