ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan – A transfer of authority took place between the outgoing 59th Mobility Augmentation Company, 8th Engineering Battalion and the incoming North Carolina Army National Guard 883rd Sapper Company, 8th Engineering Battalion at Forward Operating Base Lagman Nov 20.
One hundred and forty-six soldiers under the command of Capt. Timothy A. Butler will be returning to Fort Hood, Texas. Their mission will be taken over by 190 National Guardsmen under the command of Capt. Jim McVeigh.
“The soldiers have been absolutely amazing,” said Butler. “They’ve completed over 5,000 hours worth of patrols covering 35,000 miles of road. Their professionalism, zeal and dedication in putting forth that amount of effort is humbling.”
As part of their 12 month mission, 59th MAC soldiers were part of Operation Fairbanks to reopen the road between Qalat and the Mizan district - duties which have since been taken over by the Afghan National Army. The unit regularly patrolled and cleared 200 kilometers of the province’s Highway One for Combined Team Zabul. In addition, 59th soldiers cleared the road to FOB Athgar – giving the ANA soldiers freedom of movement throughout the province and allowing them to take over route clearance patrols in that area. This strong presence has helped stabilize the province.
Lt. Col. Jeff R. Stewart, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment commander spoke to both groups at the ceremony.
“Your efforts in Legion Recovery and Operation Fairbanks were phenomenal,” said Stewart of the 59th soldiers. “You participated in 651 missions finding 75 IEDs and UXOs and making it through 15 IED strikes, but it was your daily contributions to the mission for which we were most grateful. And to the soldiers of the 883rd, we can guarantee that you will have interesting times ahead. We look forward to working with you,” Stewart added.
As part of the ceremony, the guidon for the outgoing unit was replaced with one from the incoming unit. Sgt. Austin McCrarry, 23, a combat engineer and Charlotte, N.C. native, was the guidon bearer for the 883rd.
“I dropped out of ROTC to volunteer for this deployment,” said McCrarry. “They’re a good group of guys. I’ve always wanted to be in the Army and now it’s my time.”
The 883rd has previously deployed to Iraq and is one of two Sapper companies in North Carolina. The unit has served as the state rapid reaction force since 2007, mobilized for a U.S. border protection mission in 2008, and left in August of this year.
The 883rd Sapper Company will perform combat route clearance patrols throughout Zabul province enabling freedom of movement while providing a stable environment for the people of Afghanistan.
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.23.2011 04:49 |
| Story ID: | 80471 |
| Location: | ZABUL PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 570 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
This work, 'It’s My Time!' – Route clearance companies hold transfer Of authority ceremony, by Frank O'Brien, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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