Photo By Staff Sgt. Anderson J. Grant | Spc. Ryan W. Waclawski receives the Army Commendation Medal for his meritorious...... read more read more
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BALTIMORE, Md. – Soldiers of the 203rd Transportation Detachment and the 949th Transportation Company, Detachment 3, are celebrating a safe and successful return from a 12- month deployment to Kuwait Naval Base. The two units received honors and awards during a Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen Ceremony, May 20, at the Brandt U.S. Army Reserve Center.
Considered a part the Army’s naval force, the approximately 51 soldiers were applauded for their efforts in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn by a small crowd of family and friends. Their mission was to actively participate in the drawdown of U.S. operations in Iraq by manning Landing Craft Utilities, or LCUs, and relocate millions of pieces of equipment to designated areas throughout the Persian Gulf. In this particular deployment, they literally lived on an LCU for almost entire deployment.
“If they didn’t do the piece that they did, in all likely hood, as a nation, that would be something that we would frankly have to contract out for,” spoke guest speaker and 359th TC Battalion commander, LTC Deborah Kotulich. “It’s a big deal for all of us to recognize that when they got the call they stepped up to the plate, and they served their country. They performed a very important function unique to the Army watercraft community in support of the Army and Army operations. And these soldiers perform a tremendous task on a battlefield to move equipment around and position pieces where we need them.”
The general mission of the 203rd and 949th is to open and operate ports in theatre where none exist or have been destroyed in order to move cargo and vessels in and out. While the Navy puts more emphasis on missions away from land, the Army units venture towards it and even man vessels capable of amphibious landings.
According to 949th commander, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gerald Evans, most Army vessels require around only 16 feet of water as compared to the large commercial vessels that are only useful in deeper water. “Part of what we do with the equipment we have is set up things so that the large ocean vessels don’t have to come all the way in. They can stop a couple of miles out, and then we’ll come out and get the rest of it and bring it to the beach.”
Evans received a Bronze Star for his duties as the 949th Commander during the deployment. He believes the overall mission was a 100% success, with no casualties or loss of a vessel.
Master Sgt. Richard Whittington Sr. also received a Bronze Star for his duties as Boatswains mate and the 949th Detachment 1SG.
The 203rd Detachment’s SSG Leon B. Meyers received the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service while serving as a marine engineer aboard the U.S. Army Vessel Maj. Gen. Robert Smalls (Logistics Support Vessel-8).
And while all of the soldiers put in their fair share of hard work, Spc. Ryan W. Waclawski (949th) and Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Seymore (203rd) were the two soldiers that stood out in front of the rest and were considered to be the “The go-to guys”, according to their unit commanders.
“Basic loading of cargo, help load cargo, strap stuff down on deck… and as Mr. Evans stated, when he needs something I’m the “go-to guy” evidently,” Waclawski laughed. “I mean its basic. There’s nothing special to it. Just hard work and long hours.”
Many other awards were issued to the mass of soldiers, and most received the Welcome Home Citizen-Warrior Award, which is standard issue for those who have completed a deployment for the first time.
The award was introduced in 2004 by President George W. Bush and Congress, and acknowledges military service abroad by soldiers in the Army Reserve. Each designated soldier receives a personalized, encased American flag, a yellow Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen flag, an Army Reserve soldier lapel set and a special commemorative coin.
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.12.2012 15:10 |
| Story ID: | 91442 |
| Location: | BALTIMORE, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 670 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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