4th Battlefield Coordination Detachment deploys to Qatar Published Aug. 31, 2010 By 020810 SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- WHAT: Colors casing ceremony WHEN: Media event - 10:30 p.m., September 1 WHERE: Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. Deployment Processing Center BACKGROUND: The 4th Battlefield Coordination Detachment is a major subordinate command of Third Army/U.S. Army Central serving as the liaison between air and ground forces covering a 20 country area of responsibility spanning from Egypt to Afghanistan. The unit's mission is to facilitate and synchronize air and ground operations within the Central Command area of responsibility. The 4th BCD conducts split based operations, serving as the liaison to U.S. Air Force Central and the 9th Air Force Headquarters at Shaw AFB and as the liaison between U.S. Forces- Iraq (USF-I), International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and the U.S. Central Command Combined Forces Air Component Commander (CFACC) at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in the CENTCOM AOR. The 4th BCD is deploying to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar to relieve the 1st BCD. MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: The media are invited to cover the Colors Casing ceremony of the 4th BCD on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 10:30 p.m. Casing the Colors is a military tradition that symbolizes the unit's readiness to deploy. Col. Thomas L. Kelly, 4th BCD commander, and Maj. Gen. Mark W. Graper, Assistant Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and Assistant Vice Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Shaw Air Force Base, will briefly speak to the Soldiers prior to casing the unit's colors. Please coordinate with the Public Affairs Office if you would like to attend, as admittance and escort onto Shaw AFB must be coordinated in advance. Media interested in attending should contact Sgt. Beth Lake at 803-895-2024 or beth.lake@shaw.af.mil as soon as possible, and no later than 1 p.m. Wednesday.