Photo By John Hughel | Oregon State Treasury Tobias Read, representing Gov. Tina Kotek, hands out the...... read more read more
HERMISTON, Ore. - Oregon Army National Guard Citizen-Soldiers, assigned to Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, along with maintenance support members from the 145th Brigade Support Battalion were recognized by federal, state, and local officials during a demobilization ceremony, held at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center, in Hermiston, Oregon on March 5, 2023. The event formally acknowledged the 75 members of the combined unit, during their nearly yearlong deployment to support overseas contingency operations in the Middle East.
The Oregon Soldiers were combined with two Army National Guard Companies from the Montana Army National Guard's 163rd Infantry Regiment, as part of ‘Task Force Griz,’ supporting the United States Central Command. In addition, service members from Idaho, Nevada, and Florida made up the total force supporting Operation Spartan Shield, strengthening defense relationships, and building partner nation abilities in the region.
While addressing the troops of Bravo Company, Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, described several important enduring characteristics of their deployment, which included participation in the Eager Lion Multinational Exercise, conducted in Jordan and involved Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, as well as the host nation.
“The exercise enhanced America’s ability to coordinate and operate effectively as a member in a multi-national joint force when they arrived,” he said, detailing many of the accomplishments. “This mission placed all of you in a dynamic part of the world, and you performed your duties in line with our core values of competency and commitment.”
The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team is headquartered in Idaho and is made up of soldiers across the four western states of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. The unit is one of five armored brigade combat teams in the U.S. National Guard and one of 16 in the United States Army.
Touching on some of the individual accomplishments, Stencel highlighted several unit members, with practically one member who has been on multiple overseas assignments.
“First Sergeant Alejandro Sanchez, has now deployed three times, in three decades - and all with Bravo Company,” he said.
In his two previous deployments, Sanchez was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004-2005, and then during his second deployment to Iraq from 2010 to 2011, as part of Operation New Dawn, he served as an assistant convoy commander for the unit. With this third deployment, he has taken part in all three of the unit’s largest mobilizations since 9/11.
“I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of each of your individual efforts and appreciative of the support by your families, friends, and employers while you were away,” Stencel said while concluding his remarks. “Thank you for the service to the nation for a job extremely well done.”
Serving as a representative for Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, State Treasurer Tobias Read also welcomed the unit home while reflecting on their collective actions.
“Service is a shared commitment, so I hope you will join me in a big round of applause for all the family, friends, and employers who made this mission a success - both at home and abroad,” said Read, in his address to those attending.
The Oregon Soldiers were initially mobilized on Nov. 4, 2021, under the command of Army National Guard Capt. Sean Popravak, and first conducted additional specialized training at Fort Bliss, Texas, before departing overseas.
“Our mission was to be a mobile, armored reaction force to deter malign foreign influence and reassure allies within the Middle East of the United States' continued commitment to the region,” said Popravak.
Arriving on New Year’s Day 2022 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, the unit brought their Oregon tanks to the range and ensured all tanks were able to move, shoot and communicate. They also ‘inherited’ eight MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), from theater stock and brought them to working condition. Platoons became proficient in MRAP rollover trainers, Obstacle Courses, realistic CLS training, and vehicle decontamination. They also conducted truck gunnery on the MRAP platform, a first for many new Soldiers.
In October, the unit redeployed stateside, working for the 29th Infantry Division and later in conjunction with the 35th Infantry Division, subsequently, returning their tanks over to Alpha Company, 2nd Brigade, of the 116th Cavalry Regiment.
“By your actions, you have obviously proven yourself as a highly skilled and trained force that is always prepared to respond both domestically and abroad,” said Read during his concluding remarks.
Read also thanked each member as they proceeded through a receiving line of local, state, and federal officials, each receiving The Adjutant General and Governors ‘Challenge Coins.’ In this same spirit of unity, an American Flag was given to service members that had been flown over the U.S. Capital in Washington, D.C.
“I want to offer one other observation - when it’s really easy for us to focus on the things that divide us, I am practically struck by the important example all of you provide,” Read noted, as he summarized his sentiments to the unit members. “What you found, when you all worked together to accomplish a shared purpose, the superficial things seemed to slide away. And we remember that we are all Oregonians…as we work to build the state for ourselves and future generations.”
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2023 14:31 |
| Story ID: | 439785 |
| Location: | HERMISTON, OR, US |
| Web Views: | 703 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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