{"id":11965,"date":"2018-04-17T21:17:16","date_gmt":"2018-04-17T21:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/04\/17\/the-101st-airborne-division-is-back-in-afghanistan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:42:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:42:11","slug":"the-101st-airborne-division-is-back-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/04\/17\/the-101st-airborne-division-is-back-in-afghanistan\/","title":{"rendered":"The 101st Airborne Division is back in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 101st Airborne Division <\/a>unfurled its colors at Bagram Airfield<\/a>, Sunday, marking the start of the unit\u2019s fourth Afghanistan deployment in the last decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During past deployments to the country, the 101st was focused on the eastern provinces. Now, though, the division will oversee NATO\u2019s Resolute Support mission<\/a> to train, advise and assist <\/a>Afghan government operations<\/a> across the nation, according to an Army press release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The division\u2019s commander, Maj. Gen. Andrew Poppas, and senior enlisted leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims, spoke at the ceremony, as they took the reins from their counterparts in the 3rd Infantry Division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Task Force Leader, 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne Division Soldiers prepare to evacuate a casualty as an HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to Task Force Eagle Assault, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade lands during a combined arms live-fire training exercise at Tactical Base Gamberi May 13, 2015. The exercise was conducted by Train Advise Assist Command-East to demonstrate opportunities for the 201st Afghan National Army Corps to plan, manage and conduct combined arms training on their ranges. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jarrod Morris, TAAC-E Public Affairs)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During the ceremony, Poppas said it was encouraging to see the change and progress in Afghanistan since the unit was in charge of Regional Command-East in 2008. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Not only are the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces fully responsible for Afghanistan’s security nationwide, but routinely conducting independent and combined arms operations,\u201d Poppas said. \u201cWe have gone from an active combat role or partnered operations to merely training, advising and assisting these capable Afghan combat formations \u2014 a monumental and hard-fought achievement.”<\/p>\n\n\n\t