Photo By Staff Sgt. April Campbell | Mount Holly Springs, Pa., native Lt. Col. Troy Otto, commander, 3rd Special Troops...... read more read more
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By Pfc. April Campbell
Multi-National Division – Baghdad Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — One manner in which Soldiers identify themselves and their units is by displaying a patch on their uniform sleeve.
While the insignia on the left sleeve represents the Soldier's current unit, the patch on the right sleeve tells the world which unit the Soldier has seen battle with.
While serving in Iraq, several Soldiers with the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division continued that tradition as they earned their Ivy Division combat patches during a ceremony outside the battalion headquarters at Camp Taji, Iraq, Jan. 12.
The battalion, which arrived in Iraq in mid-December, is currently serving its second tour in Iraq. The 3rd STB activated in 2004.
"The ceremony went off very well. It was a memorable moment in the battalion's short history," said Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Kinloch, the battalion's top enlisted Soldier.
Each company in the Phoenix Battalion chose five Soldiers to receive their patches at the ceremony. The Soldiers chosen were serving their first tour here in Iraq, added the Charleston, S.C., native.
With Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, the expectation of deployment for an incoming Soldier is increased.
"It has been a privilege for me to serve with the (newer) Soldiers," Kinloch said, "because they volunteered to serve knowing they would likely be going into a combat zone."
One of the new Soldiers chosen to receive his patch at the ceremony was Pfc. Anthony Bower, a radio and telephone operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd STB.
"The patch ceremony strengthened the bond I have with the unit. I feel like I am a part of history and I am contributing to the unit," the Branch, Mich., native said.
Bower said he is looking forward to carrying out the rest of his deployment and returning home a more experienced Soldier.
"My uniform is complete," said Bower.
| Date Taken: | 01.12.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.21.2008 19:38 |
| Story ID: | 15639 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 229 |
| Downloads: | 192 |
This work, Phoenix Soldiers Earn Ivy Division Combat Patches, by SSG April Campbell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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