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    401st Chemical Company soldiers honored at send-off ceremony

    401st Chemical Company honored in send-off ceremony

    Photo By Maj. Maryjane Porter | Family members brave blizzard conditions in Boston to attend a send-off ceremony for...... read more read more

    VICKSBURG, MS, UNITED STATES

    01.15.2014

    Story by Capt. Maryjane Porter 

    412th Theater Engineer Command

    VICKSBURG, Miss. - Approximately 120 Army Reserve soldiers with 401st Chemical Company in Boston gathered to say goodbye to family members and friends in a send-off ceremony held at Fort Devens.

    The unit falls under the 479th Chemical Battalion in Fort Totten, N.Y., 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Chicopee, Mass., 412th Theater Engineer Command in Vicksburg, Miss.

    Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, the adjutant general of Massachusetts, and Brig. Gen. Timothy Williams, commander of 302nd MEB, provided special remarks and challenged 1st Lt. Aaron Salter, commander of 401st, and his troops to remain vigilant and to take care of each other.

    Salter is confident they are ready to accomplish the task at hand, and acknowledged everyone's hard work and dedication over the past few months to ensure the "Renegades" are trained and capable for the mission in Kuwait.

    "Most notably, the unit was the first in the Army Reserve to receive the NBC STRYKER new equipment this past fall. Also, over the summer, 103 soldiers received their PROBOARD hazardous material technician certification," he said proudly. "The last year and a half has been filled with trials and tribulations in preparation for this deployment, but we managed to adapt and overcome as a unit and as a family."

    Salter, pointing to the challenge of filling vacancies in the early stages of mobilization, said soldiers were transferred from other units in New York and New Jersey to complete the 401st.

    "This required soldiers to commute to Massachusetts at least once a month for training. Between this geographic disparity, the fiscal cliff, the snow storms and the government shutdown, my soldiers and chain of command had to go above and beyond the call of duty to get us ready," he said.

    The 401st Renegades have battled and fought to get where we are today. With the hard work, dedication and ingenuity our soldiers have shown so far, we will continue to set the standards for excellence in theater," said the company commander.

    The 401st will spend the next few weeks at Fort Dix, N.J., to complete final training requirements before departing for Kuwait.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.15.2014
    Date Posted: 01.15.2014 16:36
    Story ID: 119205
    Location: VICKSBURG, MS, US
    Hometown: BOSTON, MA, US

    Web Views: 464
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN