Maintainers honor unit during 83rd birthday celebration

Photo By Sgt. Sarah Bailey | U.S. Army Spc. Monzell Woolridge, a motor transport operator with Alpha Company, 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, attaches the unit’s most recent campaign streamer from Iraq 2010-2011, to the unit colors during the battalion’s 83rd birthday ceremony July 28, 2013, at Forward Operating Base Shank in Logar province, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Sarah Bailey/Released)  

LOGAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

07.28.2013

Story by Sgt. Sarah Bailey 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army soldiers with the 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, participated in the Maintain Battalion’s 83rd birthday celebration, July 28, on Forward Operating Base Shank.

The celebration paid homage to the past Maintainers who served in the 703rd Battalion and gave tribute to the unit’s distinguished history.

“Today we gather to honor the sacrifice and service of the Maintain-the-Line soldiers that came before us,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Nathan Swartz, commander 703rd BSB, during a ceremony before the celebration.

The Maintain Battalion has been involved in 19 different campaigns from Sicily in World War II to Operation New Dawn in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Through the service and sacrifices of the Maintain soldiers, both past and present, the battalion has earned 14 unit decorations, including the Presidential Unit Citation, twice.

Soldiers presented each of the campaign streamers and placed them on the battalion colors during the ceremony. U.S. Army Spc. Monzell Woolridge, a motor transport operator with Company A, 703rd BSB, and native of Petersburg, Va., has served with the battalion since 2008 and placed the unit’s most recent streamer, Iraq 2010-2011, during the ceremony.

“I was proud to add the Operation New Dawn streamer to the battalion colors because I served with 703rd during that deployment,” she said.

U.S. Army Col. Todd Heussner, the 43rd Sustainment Brigade commander and a former Company A, 703rd BSB, commander, was honored as the guest speaker at the ceremony.

Heussner, whose unit oversees all reduction and support activity in Afghanistan, applauded the 703rd BSB, also known as Task Force Maintain, for honoring the unit’s past and praised the unit as one of the finest sustainment battalions in theater.

Heussner, Swartz, U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Mosier, the 703rd BSB senior enlisted adviser, along with U.S. Army Spc. Houra Hajy, the battalion supply sergeant assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, and the youngest soldier present, cut the birthday cake.

The Maintain Battalion is Hajy’s first duty assignment and being a part of this ceremony was a monumental moment for her.

“It felt great to be selected to be a part of the battalion’s 83rd birthday ceremony,” said the Seattle, Wash., native. “Being able to stand out and be a part of something even though I'm the youngest soldier, I will always remember it.”

After the ceremony, the TF Maintain soldiers took part of refreshments and a pizza lunch followed by activities to include volleyball, basketball and cornhole toss.

The 703rd BSB soldiers at their home station in Fort Stewart, Ga., are scheduled to hold a similar event Aug. 5, 2013.

• Date Taken: 07.28.2013
• Date Posted: 07.30.2013 02:52
• Story ID: 111036
• Location: LOGAR PROVINCE, AF
• Hometown: PETERSBURG, VA, US
• Hometown: SEATTLE, WA, US