WEBVTT 00:09.840 --> 00:11.951 Good morning , ladies and gentlemen , 00:11.951 --> 00:14.007 on behalf of the commander of Second 00:14.007 --> 00:16.062 Brigade combat Team , Third Infantry 00:16.062 --> 00:18.284 Division . Welcome to bob kelso and the 00:18.284 --> 00:20.284 casing of the second Brigade Combat 00:20.284 --> 00:22.396 team colors signifying the completion 00:22.396 --> 00:21.860 of the unit's mission in Iraq . 00:44.540 --> 00:45.540 Yeah , 01:00.040 --> 01:02.151 The Spartans distinguished themselves 01:02.151 --> 01:05.900 during the period of 15 June 2007 - six , 01:05.900 --> 01:07.956 July 2008 with extraordinary heroism 01:07.956 --> 01:10.330 and gallantry . During combat stability 01:10.340 --> 01:12.562 and security operations . In support of 01:12.562 --> 01:14.650 Operation Iraqi Freedom five , the 01:14.660 --> 01:16.771 Spartans operated in an area that was 01:16.771 --> 01:18.882 previously void of coalition forces . 01:18.882 --> 01:20.970 Iraqi security forces or Essential 01:20.970 --> 01:23.260 Services . This area was known as a 01:23.270 --> 01:25.492 safe haven for the insurgency in Iraq . 01:26.240 --> 01:28.460 Direct contact and sacrifice the 01:28.470 --> 01:30.990 Spartans defeated and established 01:31.000 --> 01:33.440 security essential services and a sense 01:33.440 --> 01:35.551 of normalcy returned to the people of 01:35.551 --> 01:37.560 the Spartan a week today . Families 01:37.570 --> 01:39.910 have water , electricity , medical 01:39.910 --> 01:42.060 support , Children attend schools and 01:42.070 --> 01:44.237 farmers work their fields without fear 01:44.237 --> 01:46.400 from the guy . Every soldier and 01:46.400 --> 01:48.622 civilian in this brigade played a vital 01:48.622 --> 01:50.733 role in the defeat of this insurgency 01:50.733 --> 01:52.789 which allow the Iraqi people to take 01:52.789 --> 01:54.900 back what is rightfully theirs . With 01:54.900 --> 01:56.844 this legacy of the Spartan brigade 01:56.844 --> 01:58.900 stages to leave Iraq and prepare for 01:58.900 --> 02:01.440 their next operation . 14 months ago , 02:01.450 --> 02:03.561 we had the opportunity to come in and 02:03.561 --> 02:05.728 work for him in D . C . and get signed 02:05.728 --> 02:07.783 into an area of operations that have 02:07.783 --> 02:09.950 been sanctuary for al Qaeda operating 02:09.960 --> 02:12.182 for other insurgents operating a little 02:12.182 --> 02:14.349 area called Arabs aboard . We fought a 02:14.349 --> 02:16.516 very safe place . It's in an area that 02:16.516 --> 02:18.349 has no coalition presents a very 02:18.349 --> 02:20.571 limited coalition presence and no Iraqi 02:20.571 --> 02:22.738 security force presence and the people 02:22.738 --> 02:26.200 of that area had lived in fear of your 02:26.200 --> 02:28.860 life , an unwillingness to come out and 02:28.860 --> 02:31.690 take back their own over the 14 month 02:31.700 --> 02:34.860 period along with the people of Iraq , 02:34.870 --> 02:37.037 the sons of Iraq , specifically in the 02:37.037 --> 02:39.240 locals and the Iraqi security forces , 02:39.250 --> 02:41.361 along with the members of the Spartan 02:41.361 --> 02:43.740 brigade combat team , we now can see 02:43.740 --> 02:45.962 the towns of America war have await the 02:45.962 --> 02:49.520 horse job . Sandra Neil stripe here 02:50.100 --> 02:52.267 now stand a chance to continue to grow 02:52.267 --> 02:54.322 and prosper because al Qaeda is gone 02:54.740 --> 02:57.050 and they see a chance to move forward . 02:57.540 --> 02:59.707 Water is flowing , crops are growing , 02:59.707 --> 03:01.873 governance has taken hold , people see 03:01.873 --> 03:03.818 a brighter light at the end of the 03:03.818 --> 03:05.651 tunnel . I owe that to the great 03:05.651 --> 03:07.818 soldiers of this brigade combat scenes 03:08.440 --> 03:10.662 without the efforts that they put forth 03:10.662 --> 03:12.718 the willingness to go into the fight 03:12.718 --> 03:15.100 and take the fight every day knowing 03:15.100 --> 03:17.044 the hazards that they would face . 03:17.044 --> 03:19.610 Understanding the losses that we endure , 03:19.620 --> 03:23.460 it would not have been achieved . Today . 03:23.940 --> 03:25.860 I see progress and no under the 03:25.860 --> 03:28.070 leadership of this division and the 03:28.070 --> 03:30.181 members of the force is still quite a 03:30.181 --> 03:32.348 good pipe . They don't want to see any 03:32.348 --> 03:34.640 crop . We wish you the best but we 03:34.640 --> 03:36.640 continue to watch and see this area 03:36.640 --> 03:38.670 grow and now with the cases of our 03:38.670 --> 03:40.880 colours . Second Brigade combat team 03:40.890 --> 03:43.420 will close this chapter only to start 03:43.420 --> 03:45.642 another as we move back to fort Stewart 03:45.642 --> 03:47.476 Georgia and prepare for our next 03:47.476 --> 03:50.130 rotation wherever the Good Army decides 03:50.130 --> 03:52.241 to send . That would be the problem . 03:53.040 --> 03:55.040 Thank you very much for coming this 03:55.040 --> 03:56.840 morning . I'm bored . Send me 03:59.300 --> 04:01.830 continue to heal those who are wounded 04:01.840 --> 04:03.896 and they need a physical , emotional 04:03.896 --> 04:06.070 healing comfort . The families who are 04:06.070 --> 04:08.348 still mourning the loss of their loved . 04:08.940 --> 04:10.940 We ask this in your precious name . 04:12.140 --> 04:12.720 Amen . 04:37.940 --> 04:41.860 Yeah . So smooth . Strict protocols . 04:42.640 --> 04:44.260 Yeah . Yes . 04:47.540 --> 04:48.540 Mhm . 04:52.240 --> 04:54.351 Ladies and gentlemen , this concludes 04:54.351 --> 04:56.184 today's ceremony . Thank you for 04:56.184 --> 04:58.184 attending . Send me . Yeah . Yeah . 04:58.740 --> 04:58.950 Okay .