289th QM Soldiers receive combat patch

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Gaelen Lowers | Capt. Anjeanette Lawson, commander of the 289th Quartermaster Company, 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a Charleston, S.C., native, places a combat patch on 1st Lt. Samuel Malone, executive officer of the 289th QM Company, and an Omaha, Neb., native, during their combat patch ceremony held Aug. 9 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE COBRA, IRAQ

08.09.2010

Story by Spc. Gaelen Lowers 

3rd Division Sustainment Brigade

FORWARD OPERATING BASE COBRA, Iraq— More than 125 Saber soldiers were awarded their shoulder sleeve insignia-former wartime service, during a ceremony held Aug. 9 at the headquarters of the 289th Quartermaster Company, 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

The origins of the SSI-FWTS date back to World War II. Since 1945, the intent behind the wear of the SSI-FWTS, known as the "combat patch," was to recognize Soldiers' participation in combat operations.

“We had a lot of people volunteer to come over with us, and a lot of them are first-time deployers, so this is a big event for them,” said Capt. Anjeanette Lawson, commander of the 289th QM Company, and a Charleston, S.C., native.

The company’s primary mission is to run and maintain the JBB amnesty yard, where units can bring leftover equipment, spare parts and other gear to redistribute, reintegrate or destroy to help reduce the amount of equipment in northern and central Iraq.

They are also in charge of the fuel farm, the container repair yard, the central issue facility at Victory Base Complex, and the Central Distribution Center, to name a few, Lawson said.

“Our main mission over here is taking care of Soldiers,” said Lawson. “We want to make sure to take everyone home that we brought out here.”

First Sgt. Robert Rivas, first sergeant for the 289th QM Company, and a Belle Glade, Fla., native, said the ceremony was significant for first-time deployers.

“This is a one-time event,” he said. “It’s important to them and their families. We made sure to record it because it won’t happen for them again.”

• Date Taken: 08.09.2010
• Date Posted: 09.18.2010 09:20
• Story ID: 56543
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE COBRA, IQ