Rain fell at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Monday afternoon. It was a chilly and damp autumn day as members of the 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery's Bravo Battery stood in formation before their families. A cold wind chilled the audience, many rubbed their hands together for warmth.

But many of the soldiers seemed to welcome the cold. Soon, they'll be operating in a much hotter climate. "The Dragon Slayers are going to one of the most complex and volatile regions on Earth - Iraq," said Col. Joseph McCallion as he addressed the soldiers and their families.

The soldiers were "casing" their units colors as they prepared to take them overseas. Bravo Battery will be deploying in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, an American-led coalition campaign that's been carrying out operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

McCallion said that the soldiers have trained hard to be prepared to deal with contingiencies around the world. Specifically, he cited emerging threats such as Russian President Vladamir Putin's aggressive rhetoric in Europe, an emboldened Iran, and the rise of the Islamic State. He mentioned that despite today's "fiscal constraints," the Army needs to be ready for a wide array of challenges.

As an air defense artillery unit, The Dragon Slayers specialize in counter-rocket, counter-artillery and counter-mortar operations. Their job is to help keep friendly bases and units safe from enemy attacks.

When Islamic State swept into Iraq in the summer of 2014, fighters seized a great deal of equipment from the Iraqi Army garrison in Mosul. Between equipment seized from Syrian and Iraqi troops, the group has amassed a large arsenal -including American artillery pieces and targeting systems.

But battery 1st Sgt. Nicholas Martinelli said his troops are up to the task. "I think this is the most professional and competent group of soldiers I've served with in my career, so I'm very fortunate," he said. "Everyone is really ready to go; they're going out there to do the job they've trained for."

The deployment comes not long after the first official combat casualty of the campaign against the militants. Last month, Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler died during a hostage rescue operation in northern Iraq. At the time of his death, the Pentagon had repeatedly denied that American troops were engaged in combat operations in Iraq or Syria - describing their role as "purely advisory."

Martinelli has done multiple deployments, as have many of the other soldiers deploying. Bravo Battery just returned from a deployment to Afghanistan last fall. The combat mission in Afghanistan officially concluded last year, but thousands of troops remain in the country supporting Afghan troops.

The Dragon Slayers will be doing much 0f the same thing, as they provide security for American troops aiding Iraqi forces in their fight against Islamic State. "In today's uncertain security environment, building partnerships is the name of the game," said McCallion.