CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - From the grassy valley of central Pennsylvania to the fiery sands of Central Iraq, the 828th Finance Management Detachment, from Lebanon, Pa., has arrived in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The unit of 26 comes well-experienced with 12 veterans from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. For the past year the unit has been preparing for this deployment.
The unit is fused together with Soldiers from the 828th FMD, 528th FMD, and the 628th FMD, most of whom volunteered to deploy to Iraq.
"The best part about this deployment is the camaraderie that we all share and the experience that comes along with it. I couldn't have chosen a better group of individuals to deploy with," said Spc. Nicole Delong, a Reading, Pa., native.
Soldiers from the 828th FMD have been sleeping, eating, working, playing and occasionally bickering with one another since they were put on mobilization orders beginning in late March 2009.
Spc. Christopher Sani who hails from Johnstown, Pa., stated, "Deployment is almost like being back in college. It has all the same aspects of college like going to the gym, eating at a cafeteria and living in a communal environment. The major difference is that instead of going to school we go to work in support of our fellow Soldiers."
The unit started with a three-week Active Training exercise in their own backyard at Fort Indiantown Gap. There, the Soldiers took a week-long course to be certified as Combat Life Savers. The unit completed training of all the required 32 combat and survival skills mandated by 1st Army prior to departing for Iraq.
The next leg of post mobilization began with a month-long train up of finance-specific training at Fort McCoy, Wis., the hub of the U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard Finance Center.
The 828th FMD has adopted the phrase when called to attention with sounding off, "Animal House!" The unit's signature sound-off came about because of the Soldiers odd talents for mimicking farm animal sounds.
After the completion of training was verified and signed-off by the base commander, the unit prepared for the next phase of their deployment — putting all of their training, prior experience, and expertise to use to provide financial support to more than 32,000 uniformed service members and contractors . The 828th arrived in country and made a smooth transition to replace Charlie Detachment/101st FMD, an active duty unit stationed out of Fort Campbell, Ky.