Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Monte Swift | Soldiers of the 649th Regional Support Group of Cedar Rapids are presented with awards...... read more read more
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Soldiers of the 649th Regional Support Group from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, were formally welcomed home during a Warrior Welcome Home Ceremony at VFW Post 788 in Cedar Rapids, March 5.
The unit, which deployed from August 2009 through August 2010, supported Operation Enduring Freedom at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan. While there, the 59 soldiers of the 649th aided in the movement of Servicemembers coming and going from Kandahar Air Field, assigned housing and maintained accountability of U.S. forces on base. Their achievements included the establishment of U.S. Garrison Command Operations on Kandahar Air Field, improvement of Standard Operating Procedures and improving the quality of life for soldiers.
Distinguished guests for the ceremony were Brig. Gen. Patrick Rienerd, chief judge, U.S. Army Legal Service Agency, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack and Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett.
“It really is difficult for me to adequately express the importance of the mission that you undertook,” said Loebsack. “The improvements that you made at Kandahar Air Field have positively effected no-doubt tens of thousands of soldiers and will continue to do so.”
He added that “Supporting the thousands of men and women who are stationed or transit through the air field is vital to their well being as well as the successful completion of our mission in Afghanistan.”
The trip to Afghanistan marked the unit’s first overseas deployment. However, they were also deployed to Fort Sill in support of OEF from 2004-06 where they ensured deploying units met 1st Army and Garrison Commanders Standards.
Master Sgt. Jeffery Duwa, 649th RSG, who was the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Tactical Operations Center at Kandahar Air Field, said the most rewarding part for him was the progression of the facilities in the time his unit was there.
“It was neat to see how far things came along while we were over there compared to how they were when we went in,” said Duwa. “It was a tremendous change, I think we helped organize things a little better as far as units coming in and departing Kandahar, knowing where they needed to sleep when they arrived and getting them back to the airfield when they needed to.”
A testament to the units achievements following the deployment were the presentation of three Bronze Stars, 28 Meritorious Service Medals, 22 Army Commendation Medals and two Army Achievement Medals.
“I will tell you that before you today is the next greatest generation,” said Col. Glenn Kolin, 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command rear operations commander. “Less than one percent of this nation serves in the armed forces. That puts these soldiers in a unique group of individuals. They are a band of brothers and sisters, who like the greatest generation, deployed and served in combat.”
Following comments from the distinguished visitors, the Legion of Merit was presented to the wife and family of Command Sgt. Maj. John K. Laborde, who died in April of 2010 due to non-combat reasons while serving in Afghanistan. The soldiers of the 649th were then each presented with an American flag in a display case, a plaque, a Welcome Home Warrior Citizen Flag, a pin and a coin.
The ceremony concluded with a social hour and a lunch presented by the VFW.
| Date Taken: | 03.05.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2011 15:20 |
| Story ID: | 67480 |
| Location: | CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,078 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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