Photo By Sgt. Glen Baker | Col. Lisa Costanza, commander, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command...... read more read more
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – The brigade command team of the 224th Sustainment Brigade presented awards to soldiers of the Headquarters to Headquarters Company, 389th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion July 14 at COB Adder, Iraq.
The presenters were Col. Lisa Costanza, commander, 224th Sust. Bde., 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a native of Long Beach, Calif., and Command Sgt. Maj. Vickie Dunlap-Jones, command sergeant major, 224th Sust. Bde., 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a native of Sacramento, Calif.
Among the awards presented were the Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Army Commendation Medal, two promotions to the rank of E-7, sergeant first class, and a physical fitness achievement award.
Costanza described her thoughts on the Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge.
“The Bronze Star is one of the highest honors to recognize a soldiers achievement,” Costanza said. “I have mixed emotions about the Combat Action Badge. It means that the soldiers were way too close and in harm’s way.”
Master Sgt. Kalvin Ross, support operations maintenance non-commissioned officer, HHC, 389th CSSB, 224th Sust. Bde., 103rd ESC, and a native of Nacogdoches, Texas, received a Bronze Star for exceptionally meritorious service and a CAB for actions in combat.
Ross said he was engaged by the enemy March 2010 by indirect fire, impacting less than 100 meters from him. “It was inititally scary, but once we got into our battle routines, I felt more comfortable,” Ross said. “It’s not over yet until our mission here is complete.”
Sgt. 1st Class Hector Lanzot, material redistribution team non-commissioned officer, HHC, 389th CSSB, and a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., also received a Bronze Star for exceptionally meritorious service.
Lanzot said he was surprised to receive the award. “I was part of a seven-man team which consisted of a Material Redistribution Team,” Lanzot said. “We recuperated material from Class 1-9. We spent nine months on this mission. From the first [month] to the ninth month we recuperated $140 million that consisted of five MRT teams.”
Lanzot said that his team faced some challenges on the mission. “It was a tough mission. We learned a lot. The toughest aspect of the mission was trying to recuperate all the material from each FOB (Forward Operating Base),” Lanzot said.
Master Sgt. Peter Belgrave, property book non-commissioned officer-in-charge, HHC, 389th CSSB, and a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., also received a CAB.
“It feels good to be recognized,” Belgrave said. “At Scania we got attacked a few times. It was just too close, the mission’s almost done, and then we’re headed home.”
Sgt. 1st Class Francisco Soriano, Jr., standard Army systems management office material management non-commissioned officer-in-charge, HHC, 389th CSSB, and a native of Long Island City, N.Y., received an Army Commendation Medal and a CAB. He was also promoted from E-6, staff sergeant, to E-7.
“It feels great. It’s a great achievement – especially mentoring soldiers,” Soriano said. “Every task I was given I just went forward and completed it. I’m glad that I had great NCOs who assisted me. I sought their guidance.”
“Be safe, and I am very proud of you,” said Dunlap-Jones in her concluding statement to the formation of Soldiers of the HHC, 389th CSSB. Costanza presented two Bronze Stars, five Army Commendation Medals, five CABs, two promotions and one certificate of achievement. The HHC, 389th CSSB Soldiers will be redeploying this month, back to Queens, N.Y.
| Date Taken: | 07.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2010 08:24 |
| Story ID: | 53046 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 676 |
| Downloads: | 121 |
This work, Sustainment Brigade gives Combat Action Badges and Bronze Star Medals to departing Soldiers, by SGT Glen Baker and 1LT Nathan Lavy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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