Fort Carson leader works to foster better understanding of Islam

Representatives of the Islamic Society of Colorado Springs met Thursday with Fort Carson military leaders at the Army base to discuss ways to improve cultural awareness and an understanding of Islam among deploying soldiers.

Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, initiated the meeting in hopes of developing a better cultural-awareness program for the thousands of soldiers already at Fort Carson and the hundreds expected to arrive this summer.

“We want to talk to (soldiers) about this beautiful religion,” Hammond said at the one-hour meeting, attended by local Islamic leaders Arshad Yousufi, Farouk Abushaban and Dawud Salaam; 4th Infantry Division cultural adviser Al Azim; and four other Army leaders.

Yousufi, who has participated in previous cultural awareness programs at Fort Carson, told the general those programs weren’t taken seriously enough.

“The weakness of those programs was that they were informal and occasional,” Yousufi said.

Meanwhile, a new family of thousands of soldiers were officially welcomed on Thursday morning.

The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division uncased their colors at a ceremony at Fort Carson on Thursday. The tradition signifies the brigade’s official arrival to the post. The 1BCT Raiders spent the past 13 years at Fort Hood, Texas.

The Army Corps of Engineers also presented an award to the brigade, honoring their new headquarters building for being energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

The brigade’s arrival brings about 3,500 soldiers and their families to the Colorado Springs community.

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