Army's first space brigade stands up
by Maj. Laura Kenney
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (Army News Service, May 2, 2003) - Army Space Command activated the service's first and only space brigade April 11 with formation of the 1st Space Brigade (Provisional) in a ceremony held at the command headquarters, Peterson Air Force Base.
Elements of the brigade's three battalions have been deployed in Iraq and the surrounding theater in support of Marine Expeditionary Force 1, V Corps and Central Command.
"This activation represents a huge step forward in the normalization of Space," said Lt. Gen. Joseph M. Cosumano Jr., commanding general, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command."
[...]
"The new 1st Space Brigade (Provisional) is the first and only Space Brigade in the Army. Army Space Command just marked its 15th birthday, although the history of the Army in Space is much longer than that. We've postponed celebrating that anniversary while our soldiers are in harm's way, but, this is still a great time to stand up the new brigade."
The ceremony itself involved, first, the uncasing and unfurling of the 1st Space Brigade flag by Cosumano. It was posted in the waiting empty stand, already flanked by the Army Space Command and three battalion flags. Then, while the official activation orders were read, Cosumano passed the formal, framed copy of the order to the brigade commander, Col. David Shaffer.
The mission of the 1st Space Brigade, as detailed in the order, is to "conduct continuous, global space support, space control and space force enhancement operations in support of U.S. Strategic Command and supported combatant commanders enabling the delivery of decisive combat power." [...]
http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2003/space-030502-army-spacebrigade.htm
Charles Brown wrote:
"http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9836
Missile Defense: Washington and Poland just moved the World closer to War"