Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Cory Grogan | Task Force Volunteer Commander, Lt. Col. Bill Edward, and Task Force Volunteer Command...... read more read more
CAMP ADDER, Iraq - "The very souls of a military unit are symbolized in the colors under which they fight.
Flags are almost as old as civilization itself, and were carried in past battles to direct Soldiers."
These are words used during the official uncasing ceremony for the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team's Task Force Volunteer as they uncased the colors of their guidon for their deployment to Camp Adder, Iraq, Aug. 4.
The word guidon derives from the Italian word guidone meaning "guide" or "marker." Guidons are no longer carried in battle, but they still provide Soldiers with inspiration and remind them of their organizations military traditions.
Much of Task Force Volunteer is represented by the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment based out of Springfield, Ore., with elements from Corvallis, Ore., Hillsboro, Ore., and Gresham, Ore., who will be joined by two companies from New Mexico and Delaware. Only one of Volunteer's companies will be joining a different task force for this mission.
The task force is taking over for the 167th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion from New Hampshire who will re-locate for their next mission. The 167th CSSC celebrated their own honored past by casing their Guidon at the ceremony.
The 2/162 and its comrades are called Task Force Volunteer for this year's deployment with the 41st Brigade because their colors represent a grand history. The name "Volunteers" Signifies their beginnings that date all the way back to 1843 when Oregon volunteers assembled to respond to the Cayuse Indian attack on the Whitman Mission.
The key speaker during the ceremony mentioned other past accomplishments that 2/162's guidon symbolizes to honor tremendous sacrifices their predecessors have made for the country.
They helped capture Guam in 1898, and were the first regiment to arrive in the Philippines during the Spanish American War.
The Volunteers were called to service in World War I for duty on the Mexican border, where the mobilization of the unit was accomplished over night giving them the honor of being recognized as the first National Guard regiment in the United States to be ready for service and reach it's maximum strength when the declaration of war was made. From that day forward the regiment earned its motto "first to assemble."
In 1942, they were ordered to New Guinea, where the regiment was in combat for 76 days straight in some of the most difficult terrain the United States military had ever committed to. They were deployed for a total of 45 months, and a part the longest deployment of any American division.
In 2004-2005, they conducted full spectrum operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where John R. Bruning said "Fate threw them into the most important battles in the Iraq war during 2004-05," in a book he wrote about the 2/162.
Later in 2005, 2/162 served on rescue and stability missions during hurricane Katrina.
The commander of Task Force Volunteer, Lt. Col. Bill Edwards, from Albany, Ore., said the ceremony represents a significant lineage and tradition and that their mission now formally begins. He said the task force is disciplined, well trained and ready to live up to past achievements as they look to write another chapter in the distinguished history that their Guidon represents.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2009 09:31 |
| Story ID: | 37414 |
| Location: | TALLIL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 282 |
| Downloads: | 222 |
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