Photo By Maj. Jesse Manzano | Army Brig. General Rafael A. Ribas, Director of the Joint Staff for the Florida...... read more read more
Subscribe
MIAMI (Jan. 13, 2019) – Soldiers representing units from the 50th Regional Support Group (RSG) joined dozens of community organizations in Miami’s historic Little Havana neighborhood during the city’s annual Three Kings parade. The soldiers attached to the 260th Military Intelligence and 254th Transportation Battalions, as well as the 1218th Transportation Company, participated with military vehicles and interacted with hundreds of Miami residents and neighbors during the event.
“Our soldiers have been participating in this parade for many years,” said Brig. General Rafael A. Ribas, Director of the Joint Staff for the Florida National Guard. “It is my first time here and it is great to see the support from the community for our soldiers.”
Ribas was the highest ranking member of the Florida Guard participating in the event, and led the 50th RSG soldiers and vehicles down the two-mile parade route alongside Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, Chairman of the County’s Military Affairs Committee.
“This tradition has been going on for 49 years and you can see how appreciative the people of Miami are of the Guard and of all those who serve our country,” said Diaz. “Freedom is so important to the people who are here and the Guard represents that to all of us.”
The Three Kings parade honors the Hispanic tradition of the Three Wise Men bringing gifts to children every year on January 6th. The 50th RSG’s participation in the parade was part of the Florida Guard’s ongoing community outreach initiatives.
This was also Staff Sgt. Javier Orta’s first time taking part in the parade. For Orta, who is assigned to the 260th Military Intelligence Battalion headquartered in downtown Miami and who drove the lead military vehicle in the parade, participating in this event was about showing the community that the Guard is always present. “As a member of the Florida Guard, community involvement is very important, so that the people we serve know we are always here for them, both in good times as well as bad times.”
| Date Taken: | 01.13.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 01.18.2019 11:33 |
| Story ID: | 307528 |
| Location: | MIAMI, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 174 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Guard Members Join the South Florida Community in Traditional Parade, by MAJ Jesse Manzano, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT