Photo By 1st Sgt. Michael Daigle | Soldiers cut the National Guard's birthday cake at a celebration at the Al Faw Palace,...... read more read more
A ceremony was held today at Camp Victory's Al Faw palace, Baghdad, to celebrate the birthday of the military's oldest component, the National Guard.
The National Guard was established on Dec. 13, 1636, when the Massachusetts Bay General Court ordered the formation of the town's militia companies into North, South, and East regiments as means of improving training, readiness, command and control.
"Today's modern National Guard units are direct descendants of the militias of the 13 original English colonies," said Maj. Gen. Peter Aylward, deputy commanding general for Iraqi security forces, Arlington, Va.
From the first established North, South and East Regiments the Guard has grown to a force in 54 states and territories. From the original three regiments in 1663, there are more than 460,000 Army and Air Guard personnel serving in the U.S. military with more than 21,000 Soldiers and Airmen serving in Iraq among 328 units.
One unit in particular serving in Iraq at this time is the 101st Engineer Battalion. The 101st is the nation's oldest unit who trace their lineage back to the East Regiment.
"They are the descendants of the members who conducted the very first muster on Salem common," Aylward said.
Representing the 101st at today's ceremony was the youngest member of the longstanding unit, Pfc. Jeramie R. Burgos.
"This is a great day to rejoice," Burgos said, after reading the "I am the Guard" creed. "To honor the blood, sweat and tear that have come before us is important."
Burgos, Worchester, Mass., native and a gunner on the 101st command security detail, expressed a sense of pride he felt being the youngest Soldier in the 101st.
"We were the first Engineer Battalion in the United States," Burgos said.
Members of the Army National Guard 101st Engineer Battalion along with more than 1000 other Service members came together in the rotunda of the palace to celebration the National Guard's 373rd birthday.
"As citizen Soldiers the true character of the National Guard is represented by the Concord Minute Man, one hand on his musket, one hand on the plow. Citizens in peace and Soldiers in war, today's men and women of the National Guard represent the finest this nation has to offer."
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2009 06:34 |
| Story ID: | 42690 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 1,348 |
| Downloads: | 629 |
This work, Oldest unit in U.S. Military Celebrates Guard Birthday, by Amburr Reese, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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