Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor | The 3rd Infantry Division Marching Band, the Rhythm of the Marne, play in the...... read more read more
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REIDSVILLE, Ga. – “Dog Face” soldiers from 3rd Infantry Division marched in the 11th Annual Wiregrass Festival Parade, Sept. 27, in Reidsville, located about 37 miles west of Fort Stewart.
Hundreds of residents and visitors lined Memorial Drive to see the parade which is named after the tall, thick wiregrass native to the South Georgia region.
Benny Akins, a retired veteran who lives in Manassas, Georgia, about 15 minutes from Reidsville, said his favorite part of the parade was seeing the community come together, and it was great to see the military come back each year.
“We think it’s fantastic,” he said.
Lt. Col. Brandon Klink, commander for 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd ID, led the military element which consisted of a color guard, the 3rd Infantry Division’s marching band, the Rhythm of the Marne, and a marching formation of 54 soldiers form the Maintain Battalion.
“I told my wife when I heard the (3rd ID) band, ‘that can’t be the high school band, they’re too good,’” Akins said.
Command Sgt. Maj. Juan Abreu, the senior enlisted adviser for the Maintain Battalion, said “It’s important to come out here and be part of our community.”
Abreu, a Monticello, New York, native added marching in the parade was a way for the community to see the soldiers.
“Every time that we come out here, even though it’s a routine, it’s still very special to be part of this,” he said.
“It puts a face with the name 3rd Infantry Division,” said Sgt. Evan Halladay, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with Company B, 703rd BSB, who resides in Reidsville with his wife Carol and two young boys.
The Bloomington, Minnesota, native added he had a good time marching in the parade.
Carol said she was proud to see her husband march.
“It’s nice to see him do something like this. It’s good for the kids,” she said, adding that she likes living in Reidsville because of the great school system and community who look out for one another.
Akins highlighted the community is a patriotic town, which is evident by the flags flown of all the U.S. military services and the memorials of military conflicts displayed at the community park.
After the parade several soldiers met with their families to take part of the diverse festivities, which included bounce houses, slides, and train rides for the children; live music and dancing performances; arts and crafts vendors; a car and motorcycle show; and foods such as homemade ice cream and candy apples.
| Date Taken: | 09.27.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2014 16:48 |
| Story ID: | 143669 |
| Location: | REIDSVILLE, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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