In January 2003, the 1st Brigade Combat Team arrived in Kuwait with the mission to deter Iraqi aggression in the region. By March, following countless training exercises in the Kuwaiti desert and an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein from President George W. Bush, the future seemed clear. On the night of 20 March 2003, the Brigade crossed the border into Iraq and began its march to Baghdad.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team returned to Iraq in December 2004 to Salah-ad-Din province for OIF III. In January 2007 the Brigade redeployed to Iraq, this time to al-An Bar Province, making it the first Brigade Combat Team to deploy to Iraq three times and one of the first brigades to deploy as part of the surge that proved to be the turning point in the war. The Brigade deployed to Iraq for the fourth time. The Brigade was the first unit to organize, train, equip, and operate as an Advise and Assist Brigade. The Raiders partnered with six Iraqi Divisions and three operational commands in Baghdad, a city of over seven million people, where at one time eleven U.S. Brigade Combat Teams and two Divisions operated.
In September 2012, the Brigade deployed as a Security Force Assistance Brigade to advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in southeastern Afghanistan while providing Village Stability Operations throughout the Zabul province of Afghanistan. As part of the Brigade’s deployment they oversaw the transition of several ISAF bases to the ANSF and the Afghan government.
Beginning in 2015, the Brigade deployed in support of US Army Europe and Operation Atlantic Resolve conducting training in multiple countries including Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The Raider Brigade was forward deployed four times in support of the Regionally Aligned Forces mission and conducted training and exercises with many NATO and Coalition partners.
In 2018 and 2020, 1ABCT completed a nine-month rotation as the Regionally Aligned Force (RAF) for U.S. Pacific Command. During the rotation to Korea, 1ABCT served as the rotational armored brigade combat team supporting the 2nd Infantry Division Republic of Korea / United States Combined Division. 1ABCT’s primary mission was to be prepared to support the state department during Non-Combatant Evacuation (NEO) and as the Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Task Force. 1ABCT also completed gunnery qualification of all crews and maintained a heightened state of readiness in order to be able to “Fight Tonight” during the rotation to Korea.
In January 2022, Raider Brigade was called upon for a no-notice deployment to the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command area of operations to deter aggression against NATO following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Through rapid deployment, strategic equipment draw, and a rigorous training regimen, Raider Brigade expeditiously produced a combat credible force prepared to fight and win against a peer adversary. Raider Brigade’s readiness and professionalism enabled it to answer the nation’s call during the Ukrainian Security Crisis. Today, Raider Brigade stands poised to redeploy and prepare for the next mission. The Raiders, true to their motto, are always, “Raiders First.”
