115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Story by Sgt. Patrick Lair

By Sgt. Patrick Lair
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

SALEM- After fifty-two years as a unit whose mission was to serve fellow Soldiers, the 41st Personnel Services Company furled its colors at a deactivation ceremony recently, preserving a proud legacy that includes deployments to Germany and Kuwait.

"What a historical moment this is," said Brig. Gen. Charles Yriarte, commander of the 82nd Brigade. "You may be small in numbers but you're large in heart."

A handful of former members from the 41st PSC gathered at the Anderson Readiness Center in Salem, on Sept. 13, 2008, to participate in the farewell ceremony. Most of the members have already been reassigned to new units and are drilling in other areas. As part of a transformation called personnel services delivery redesign, the PSC Soldiers were moved into individual units to process Soldiers' paperwork using new military software. The move is meant to streamline administrative actions.

Capt. Ramona Treat, the former company commander, led Saturday's formation and received a Meritorious Service Award for her leadership in the unit over the previous year.

"I can't think of a better place to be than commander of a unit that helps people do their jobs," Treat said, reflecting on her four and a half years in the company. "Our mission, although tedious and monotonous at times, is so important to those trigger-pullers. They can't be out there worrying about their paychecks."

Treat said her Soldiers should serve their new units well because the 41st PSC trained for perfection in administrative duties.

"They're going to shine for you, general," she said.

Yriarte recalled his return from Iraq through Kuwait in 2005 and said the services performed by the 41st PSC helped to expedite his Soldiers' redeployment from combat.

"What you've done is given of yourselves so that others could benefit," he said. "All of you went to war and all of you had to sacrifice."

Lt. Col. Kelly Smothers, commander of the 821st Troop Command Battalion, agreed with sentiment and told the Soldiers to take pride in what they've accomplished.

"You're a group of heroes," he told them. "You wear the patch and you did a great job."

Smothers also wished the Soldiers luck in their new assignments and advised them to draw on the training, experiences and comradery of their time in the 41st PSC.

"Just remember your past," he said. "It's that past that makes you who you are today and who you'll be tomorrow."

The company was first organized into the Oregon Army National Guard, on April 1, 1956, as the 41st Replacement Company of the 41st Infantry Division in Portland.

Three years later, it was reorganized and designated as the 41st Administration Company.

In March of 1968, the company was reorganized and reconsolidated with Company A, 141st Support Battalion, which then became Company A (Administration), 141st Support Battalion.

The company moved to Tigard in 1986 and then on to Salem in 1989.

In 1996, the company was mobilized for nine months in support of Operation Joint Endeavor /Forge, and deployed to 11 separate military posts throughout Germany.

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