▁closure ▁of ▁military ▁facilities ▁in ▁Bad ▁Kreuz nach ▁and ▁its ▁subsequent ▁move ▁to ▁Wies b aden ▁scheduled ▁for ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ▁trained ▁at ▁HT A ▁and ▁G TA ▁in ▁three ▁separate ▁exer cis es ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁Re ady ▁First ▁participated ▁in ▁Mountain ▁Guardian ▁III ▁at ▁H ohen f els ▁as ▁a ▁mission ▁re he ars al ▁exercise ▁for ▁Kos ovo . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ' s ▁command ▁and ▁control ▁elements ▁conducted ▁a ▁war fig h ter ▁exercise ▁in ▁the ▁G TA ▁between ▁ 2 1 ▁March ▁and ▁ 1 7 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ▁took ▁command ▁of ▁Task ▁Force ▁Fal con ▁in ▁Kos ovo ▁as ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Rand al ▁T ies zen ▁accepted ▁the ▁colors ▁from ▁ 1 st ▁Infantry ▁Division ' s ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Ric ardo ▁San chez . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ▁celebrated ▁its ▁ 6 0 th ▁birth day ▁at ▁home ▁and ▁abroad ▁in ▁Kos ovo ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁Major ▁General ▁George ▁W . ▁Case y , ▁Jr . ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Boston ▁Har bor ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁where ▁he ▁connected ▁with ▁Commander ▁Bill ▁F oster ▁of ▁the ▁USS ▁Constitution . ▁ ▁Ira q ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁months ▁building ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 3