FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — The casing of a unit's flag, known as their colors, is a tradition signaling that they are heading out on deployment.
The 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command cased their colors ahead of a nine month deployment to the middle east.
The first deployment since assisting with relief efforts in Houston after hurricane Harvey in 2017.
”We have 200 plus, within the 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command but I have 2 hospital centers there now that are forward,” said Brig. Gen. Sean Davis, Command General of 13th ACSC.
“One Kuwait, one in Iraq, and then we’ll have another hospital center go forward in November. We also have a movement control battalion going forward in November.”
With a large portion of their unit joining Central Command in the middle east, a lot of soldiers are deploying for the first time and while some soldiers may be nervous for their first deployment, others are simply excited.
”It’s going to be just great. You know, getting cultured and getting to see what it’s like in the CENTCOM area of operation,” said Cpt. Nicholas Beavers, officer in the 13th ACSC.
“I'm super excited.”
Back home, families are preparing for the separation.
”That’s where we have to come in to coach them and explain to them what the deployment is, and how we are able to maintain connection with our families — even when we’re forward,” Brig. Gen. Davis said.
“Really, we leverage the technology that we didn’t have at the beginning of this operation in 2002.”
This deployment is giving 13th ACSC a chance to really put new communications and other technologies to use in the field.
”Even in sustainment — right now, we're leveraging autonomous trucking.” Brig. Gen. Davis said.
“This is transportation that allows us to have trucks that drive themselves parallel to trucks with truck drivers. That’s some of the technology that we’ll be experimenting with over the next year.”
Before they go, one soldier has a message for the wife he is leaving behind.
”I’m going to miss you on this nine-month tour, but hopefully you’re now worried at all because everyone on this trip is going to make in back safe and sound,” PFC Dallas Drew said.
Again, the last time they deployed was to help with relief efforts in Houston after hurricane Harvey but now, the Lucky 13th is headed all the way to Kuwait to help with operations in the Middle East.
