The 1st Infantry Division Review Friday on Fort Riley touched on the history of the historic U.S. Army division.

Major General Joseph Martin told an audience at the Cavalry Parade Field that the division’s history includes many firsts for the nation. “The Big Red One was the first to fight in France as the First Expeditionary Division during the first World War. The division was the first to land in Africa, Sicily, on Omaha Beach on D-Day during the second World War. Our division was the first to enter the Vietnam War. We led the way in Desert Storm, piercing the Iraqi Army defenses as the vanguard to the Seventh Mobile Armored Corp.”

The Division Review included an inspection of the troops by Martin and Retired General, Gordon Sullivan, who was the 32nd U.S. Army Chief of Staff, and 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley Commanding General. They rode in a 1942 Willies jeep commonly used in World War II.

Sullivan also spoke during the event, acknowledging the sacrifice made by military families for their support of soldiers through the “never-ending wars in Afghanistan and the Balkans.”  Sullivan referred to the families and children of the soldiers. “You standing in front of me know that I am ever mindful of the sacrifices that your spouses have made so that can you serve your country,and that includes by the way your children. There are many children who were born at the beginning of this journey we’re on after nine – eleven, and they are probably going off to college pretty soon. ” Sullivan stated, “In their own way they have paid in some cases a big price for what has been done.” Lengthy and frequent deployments overseas have often troops and their families apart.

The Division Review concluded with a Pass in Review by the troops in front of their leaders, and the traditional Cavalry Charge. The event brought an end to Victory Week activities at Fort Riley.