CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - A ceremony was held Monday as soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 227th Attack-Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division received their Shoulder Sleeve Insignia - Former Wartime Service, commonly known as a “combat patch.”
The 4-227th ARB is based out of Fort Hood and serves as the Attack-Reconnaissance Battalion for the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) of the Texas Army National Guard.
The 36th CAB is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Lt. Col. Hank Perry, commander of the 4-227th, said, “When I see a soldier wearing a unit insignia on their right shoulder, I cannot help but think of family separations, enduring tough living conditions, missing holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. It is especially true for the all-volunteer force we have today, selflessly serving our country.”
The battalion has a long history of overseas service in Vietnam, during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and in Afghanistan.
The 4-227th has now deployed to the Middle East with their AH-64D Apache helicopters to conduct security cooperation, joint exercises, and training in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Partnership events scheduled with nearby countries also promote security, stability, and mutual interests in the region.
Col. Rick Adams, commander of the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, reflected on the unit’s history saying, "Think about the men and women that rolled through this very location with the 1st Cav patch on, and never came home. They came through Camp Buehring, headed up into Iraq.”
Col. Adams, who served with this battalion during Desert Storm, said, “You are holding their honor, their families' expectations, in your hands now. You’re the future."