Photo By Rick Emert | Gen. Richard A. Cody, left, Army vice chief of staff, touches the rank of Pvt....... read more read more
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By Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
TAJI, Iraq – The Army's vice chief of staff visited Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade here Feb. 13.
During the visit, Gen. Richard A. Cody presented the Purple Heart, Air Medal for Valor and Air Medal awards and reenlisted five noncommissioned officers from the 1st ACB, 1st Cavalry Division.
"The reason why they're reenlisting in a combat zone is because they're great American patriots just like you are," Cody said to Soldiers from the 1st ACB who attended the presentation. "They know how important the score is to keep America free and help the Iraqis.
"Another reason why they reenlist is to stay here with you all. No one reenlists to stay in the Army unless they feel pretty damn good about the Soldiers they're serving with and the leaders that they have. This is just as much a certification of how good you are as an outfit as they are as Soldiers. It's a great honor for me to be able to do this."
One of the Soldiers who reenlisted, Sgt. Iralifsa Renta, 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st ACB, said that it was an honor to reenlist in a combat zone with Cody presiding.
"Reenlisting in a deployed environment meant a little more than doing it back in Texas," said the San Diego native. "Of course it meant more money, but it also showed that I have a deeper love for my country, that I am willing to reenlist knowing what might happen and what could happen. I encourage [Soldiers] to continue defending our families as well as those we will never meet that are exceptionally grateful and acknowledge those sacrifices – and even the ones who don't. One day, [those who do not support the Soldiers] will realize that it's because of people like us, like me, that they can voice their opinions and tell me I'm wasting my life for nothing."
Following the award presentation and reenlistments, Cody spoke to the Soldiers about the complex mission they perform.
"You all are doing great work out here, and I really appreciate it," he said. "I wanted to come by and see my old brigade. It's changed a lot sine I commanded it; it's a lot bigger. It is a lot more combat capable, and you guys have got a real tough mission here.
"I watch this brigade from afar. We worry about you every day, but I also know that you're doing the right thing. I don't worry about the leadership in this brigade – all the way from the brigade commander and the sergeant major all the way down to the sergeants. It takes a lot of discipline and a lot of great leadership to be able to execute the complex missions that you have every day. From the maintenance to the intel, all the ground support to the different types of aircraft you've got ... all of the things that you are able to put into combat to support the ground troops. It's just unbelievable what you've been able to do. So, I just wanted to come by here and tell you how proud I am of you."
Cody let several junior enlisted Soldiers act as his "awards clerk" and select two people from the crowd to whom they could give the general's coin.
He concluded his visit with a lunch with leaders from the 1st ACB to discuss the way ahead for the brigade, but not before leaving the Soldiers of the Warrior Brigade with a final note about focusing on the mission instead of what they may be seeing on the news.
"Don't worry about what's going on in Washington, D.C.," he said. "The American people are behind you all; they really are. And all this noise you're watching on CNN and FOX, all this about political stuff – they say what they have to say – but at the end of the day, America agrees on one thing: that they'll support you Soldiers here. They appreciate you. Everywhere I go I tell the American people, I tell the elected officials that we need to start living back home in America ... in a way that's worthy of your sacrifice – of you American Soldiers that are fighting for us."
| Date Taken: | 02.13.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 02.16.2007 11:38 |
| Story ID: | 9164 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 65 |
| Downloads: | 18 |
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