In a formal ceremony Monday, Fort Carson bid farewell to members of the 3rd Armored Brigade departing for Poland to train with NATO troops. 

The more than 3,000 soldiers with the brigade are leaving for Eastern Europe as Ukraine continues to run low on ammunition and other supplies in its war with Russia. A Ukrainian journalist told the Gazette some units formerly designated 10-30 shells for a task, now have 1.

House Republicans have held up billions in aid for Ukraine in recent months. President Joe Biden called out Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression in his State of the Union speech last week and make the case for more  funding for Ukraine.  

“If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you he will not,” Biden said.

3rd Brigade Commander Col. Brian Gilbert said he didn’t expect the tensions in Ukraine to impact the brigade’s training mission largely in Poland, with time in Bulgaria and Romania as well. 

The ongoing war has prompted Poland in particular to get more serious about its defenses, purchasing HIMARS rocket launchers, Apache helicopters, F-16 fighter jets, tanks and artillery. This week the Polish foreign minister also said the presence of NATO forces in Ukraine “is not unthinkable,” the Associated Press reported.

Gilbert said he was confident in NATO forces, a group he has worked with numerous times over his 24 years in the Army. 

“I don’t believe they have ever been more ready,” he said.

3rd Brigade soldiers have already left and, Gilbert said, he expected all of his soldiers would be in Poland by the middle of April. 

He expected the training would help deter Russian aggression through “demonstrated lethality,” he said, during a short speech.

“Working together allows us to leverage diverse skills, resources and perspectives, creating a greater force than the sum of our parts,” he said. It will also forge relationships between Fort Carson soldiers and international allies.

Spouses and families provide key support while soldiers are abroad and Gilbert thanked them. 

“Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed,” Gilbert said. “…Your steadfast support ensures that our soldiers can focus on their duties knowing they have a strong foundation here at home.”