By Patrick Hogan, 1LT, IN 1-327 IN, 101 ABN (ASSLT)
MOSUL, Iraq (CLARKSVILLENOW) – 1st Battalion 327th Infantry Regiment assumed authority for the Ninewah Operations Command (NOC) from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment during a transfer of authority ceremony on January 13, 2019 in Iraq.
The Ninewah Operations Command is a coalition of regional and international forces which have joined together to defeat ISIS in northern Iraq and restore stability to the Ninewah Province.
The ceremony marked the end of a nine-month deployment for the “Brave Rifles” soldiers from Ft. Hood, Texas. It simultaneously marked the beginning of a new journey for the “Bulldogs” from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.
The transition of authority began with the casing of the 3rd Cavalry’s colors and the uncasing of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment’s colors.
Task Force NOC is partnered with the government of Iraq and the Iraqi security forces, which include the Iraqi army, Iraqi security brigades and Mosul police. To these partners, LTC Kirkpatrick, outgoing Task Force Commander, directed his thanks and appreciation for nine-months of committed partnership and hard work.
In his initial remarks, LTC Voelkel, 1-327 IN Battalion Commander, recognized the hard work of the soldiers from the Brave Rifles and stated his expectations for the Bulldog Battalion.
“To quote an old Arab proverb, ‘For every glance behind us, we have to look twice to the future.’ It reminds us that the future is where we should keep our eyes fixed, not the past. As we end this ceremony and return to the tasks that lie ahead, let us never forget the common purpose which unites us all is future of Iraq and the enduring partnership between our two nations.”
1-327 IN is posed to make an impact with its coalition partners and enable Iraqi forces to generate a more stable province.