KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — The sunny Sunday afternoon at the Kandahar Airfield proved to be more than any regular day on the base. Today the 223rd Engineer Battalion out of West Point, Miss., received their combat patch.
The ceremony is held once a unit has spent 30 days in country. This is where the battalion commander replaces the former patch. For many this will be their first Combat patch. Others will have earned a previous patch but and will replace that patch with the current patch of the parent Unit, 168th Engineer Brigade out of Vicksburg, Miss.
The combat patch, or right shoulder sleeve insignia indicates wartime service. It is a long standing tradition started by the Army during World War II. Today, members of the armed forces are allowed to wear the combat patch if assigned to U.S. Army units that actively participate in or support ground combat operations against hostile forces. To qualify for the combat patch, soldiers must be assigned to a unit serving in a declared hostile environment.
Pfc. Brandee Richardson, from West Point, Miss., attended the patch ceremony and received her first combat patch.
“I felt I had done something positive, I felt rejoiced that I had a symbol of doing something great for our country,” said Richardson, “I think it helped with the morale of the unit because everyone felt as if the deployment is going by smoothly and quicker than we expected.”
After everyone received their new combat patch, Lt. Col Michael Cleveland, the 223rd Engineer Battalion commander, took the time to speak to his soldiers. He expressed his pride in commanding the battalion and congratulated them on their progress thus far.
The 223rd Engineer Battalion/ Task Force Knight was mobilized on Oct. 1, 2011 to help the continual efforts of the U.S. Army during Operation Enduring Freedom.
| Date Taken: |
01.08.2012 |
| Date Posted: |
01.24.2012 06:15 |
| Story ID: |
82745 |
| Location: |
KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: |
580 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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