Colonel Timothy Hayden, Commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) 1st Infantry Division, spoke exclusively with KJCK News Wednesday morning with a live update from South Korea.
The 1st ABCT is currently serving on a deployment to South Korea as part of a regular rotation of forces.
Hayden said that the the mission involves “doing our part to back up our commitment to our South Korea and United States alliance.”
“Our mission is to provide our higher Headquarters here a ground Armored Brigade Combat Team that is capable of offensive and defensive operations, we’re capable of executing counter weapons of mass destruction missions, and we’re capable of executing and performing non-combatant evacuations should the situation on the peninsula require it,” said Hayden.
Big Red One troops are not working in an assist capacity, but are participating in a very active role in the mission in South Korea.
“The 2nd Infantry Division is a combined Division, we have both South Korean as well as American soldiers in the Division; we have South Korean soldiers that serve not only in the Division but in the Brigade Combat Team…and we very much play an active role in combined operations with the South Korean Army, both in training and exercises, and ensuring the sovereignty and the security in South Korea,” said Hayden.
The 2nd Infantry Division is headquartered in South Korea; the United States Alliance with South Korea dates back to the Korean War.
“We have been fighting shoulder to shoulder alongside our South Korean allies in a relationship that was forged in combat…so we have a common purpose, a shared alliance,” said Hayden.
A major part of the success in the missions for First Infantry Division soldiers – and all servicemen and women – is the fuel from the families and communities that support them.
“If the strength of our Army is our soldiers and the strength of our soldiers is our families, then the strength of our families is the great communities that support us, that take care of us,” said Hayden noting that the support from South Korean families makes for a great triumvirate that they “can count on every single day”.
The First Infantry Division will celebrate 100 years of historic victories, and firsts during the birthday celebrations for the Division this summer.
“We hold a distinct honor – and we’re pretty proud of in the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team – of not only being America’s first brigade, America’s oldest brigade; but we have the distinct honor of being able to serve simultaneously in America’s 1st Infantry Division celebrating it’s 100th anniversary early this summer, and in America’s 2nd Infantry Division which will celebrate it’s 100th anniversary later in the Fall,” said Hayden.
The Live interview from JC Now on the Talk of JC Wednesday morning is available below.
https://soundcloud.com/user-472396287/03082017-jc-now-seg-3-col-tim-hayden