Photo By D. Keith Johnson | Brig. Gen Richard Staats, right, watches with other senior officers as marchers walk...... read more read more
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PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Members of the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) participated in the Steel City Salutes the Troops ceremony and Annual Veterans Day Parade held at Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh, Nov.8, 2014.
The Soldiers of the 316th marched in the parade, manned static displays around the park, demonstrated U.S. Army small arms to visitors, and participated in a swearing in and reenlistment ceremony on the site of the original Fort Duquesne.
Brig. Gen. Richard Staats, commanding general for the 316th, greeted Maj. Gen. Wesley Craig, the adjutant general of the Pennsylvania National Guard, as Craig stepped on a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to start the day’s activities. The 316th is a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Coraopolis, Pa., a suburb of Pittsburgh.
Staats and Craig were on the reviewing stand for the 95th Annual Veterans Day Parade. Approximately 80 organizations and military units walked in the parade, including a platoon of Soldiers from the 316th. Craig was this year’s grand marshal.
It was estimated that thousands watched the parade from the sidewalks, although an official number was not available. Staats was very impressed with the participation in the parade.
“The parade in Pittsburgh today was as long as the Memorial Day parade in Washington, D.C., that I attended a few years ago,” he said.
The parade ended at Point State Park where the inaugural Steel City Salutes the Troops continued the celebration. The Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 171st Air Refueling Wing coordinated with the Association of the United States Army to organize the events.
The day’s activities ended with a mass joint service swearing in and reenlistment ceremony. Army, Air Force and Navy Reserve inductees recited the oath of enlistment, and members of the 316th recited the oath as part of their reenlistment. Craig led the ceremony with each service’s senior attendee led their group. Staats led the Army Reserve and National Guard group.
Staff Sgt. Ashley Ruggieri, of Canonsburg, Pa., was one of the 316th Soldiers reenlisting during the ceremony.
“It was a good experience,” she said, “My family was in awe.” She added, “It was good to see senior leaders motivating troops by setting the example to those new inductees of what they could achieve.”
According to U.S. Air Force Maj. Karen Bogdan of the 171st, western Pennsylvania has one of the largest and oldest military and veteran populations in the country. The 2014 Veterans Day parade was an indication of their support of the currently serving military. A point not lost on Staats.
“It’s amazing the local support,” said Staats. “Veterans Day here in Pittsburgh is really a special occasion.”
| Date Taken: | 11.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2014 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 147740 |
| Location: | PITTSBURGH, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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