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FORT RILEY, Kan., March 18, 2008 – The 1st Infantry Division’s commanding general yesterday welcomed home 37 U.S. servicemembers who served overseas for the past year as advisors with Afghan or Iraqi forces. Army Capt. James King and wife Alisha embrace at the end of the redeployment ceremony on Fort Riley, Kan., March 17,2008. Defense Dept. photo by Gerry J. Gilmore  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “The first thing that I will do is tell all the troops and their families that they have my personal thanks and my professional admiration for the service that they provide to...

FORT RILEY, Kan., March 18, 2008 – In simulated villages on the honey-hued Midwest prairie here, U.S. troops are learning to serve as military advisors to Iraqi and Afghan forces. Afghan National Army Sgt. Maj. Mostafa Rahmani stands guard at the doorway of a dwelling being searched by U.S. and Afghan soldiers during advisor training at Fort Riley, Kan., March 17. Defense Dept. photo by Gerry J. Gilmore  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Since 2006, soldiers of the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, based here, have trained 5,767 soldiers, 840 sailors and 1,172 airmen...

It was my privilege to know Fred Reese, a World War II veteran who passed away on December 2, 2007. Fred joined the Big One Red (E Company / 16th Infantry) as a replacement in England, following the 1st Division's campaigns in North Africa and Sicily. On D-Day, Fred landed in the first wave on Omaha beach. His squad (led by Lt John Spalding) was the first to make a breakthrough up the bluffs on the Easy Red section by destroying German gun positions and machine gun nests. Their path cleared the way for hundreds of soldiers to follow....

A fellow sent me an e-mail as follows: I recently came across the patch below supposedly from the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division. Do you know any thing about the so called “Deadly Deuces”? Any help would be appreciated as I have yet to find anything on the internet. Beats the heck out of me so I thought I'd post it here in case anyone here knows...