Courtesy Photo | Master Sgt. Michael Bair, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of chaplain assistants...... read more read more
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Story by: Cpl. Rich Barkemeyer
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – The 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) honored the contributions of its Soldiers while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom at an awards ceremony June 14 in the East Circuit Gym at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with this group,” said Brig. Gen. Paul L. Wentz, commanding general of the 13th ESC, and a Mansfield, Ohio, native. “Every section pulled its weight and then some. We did some amazing things.”
The actual awards that were presented as important as recognizing the hard work Soldiers with command performed during their deployment, said Sgt. Maj. Gene Canada, senior enlisted advisor to the assistant chief of staff for logistics with the 13th ESC, and an Austin, Texas, native.
“It’s not about personal recognition, but of the ESC as a whole, including all the [subordinate] units,” he said. “The 13th really did a great job supporting the Iraqi theater.”
The 13th ESC assumed command and control of logistics operations in Iraq on Aug. 7, 2009. The awards ceremony marks the final stretch of their deployment, as the unit is scheduled to redeploy to Fort Hood next month.
“We understand the sacrifices that all the Soldiers of the 13th ESC have made during this rotation,” Canada said. “We’ve accomplished some great things in helping the Iraqi nation rebuild.”
During the course of the 13th ESC’s deployment, the unit managed the retrograde of more than $1.4 billion worth of supplies and equipment out of the Iraq theater, said Warrant Officer Michael Atkins, a mobile redistribution team leader with the 13th ESC, and a Wooster, Ohio, native.
“Really look inside yourself, and remember why we serve, and why we do the things we do,” Wentz said. “No matter how small you think your part was, you made a difference here. My hat’s off to each and every one of you. Thanks so much for what you’ve done.”
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2010 04:26 |
| Story ID: | 51524 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 194 |
| Downloads: | 130 |
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