EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division took a moment to pause, remember and honor the role the division and its soldiers in the Second Battle of Ramadi during the Iraq War.
Saturday, Jan. 17, Fort Bliss held a ceremony and dedicated a special memorial plaque to recognize the 20th anniversary of the battle.
The battle is seen as a turning point in the Iraq War, shifting control of the country away from insurgents, showing the effectiveness of the so-called Iraqi surge and its counter-insurgency strategy and demonstrating that al-Qaeda could be defeated.
The division’s 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team played a key role in the battle, under the command of then Col. Sean MacFarland.
The ceremony served as a 20-year reunion for veterans of the battle and helps to preserve the history of the 1st Brigade and its role in this moment in history.
MacFarland, who retired as a lieutenant general, would later serve as commanding general of Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division.
More than 1,200 veterans attended the ceremony.