‘Vanguard’ Battalion soldiers celebrate 150th anniversary of the unit’s formation with an organizational day, ‘last round’ ceremony [Image 5 of 5]

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

05.03.2011

Courtesy Photo

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs

Lt. Col John Cross, far left, commander of the 1st “Vanguard” Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Evans, far right, senior enlisted advisor with 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt. and a Columbia, S.C., native, cut the battalion cakes with the youngest officer, 2nd Lt. Sean Ellison, second from left, a platoon leader with D Company and a Harrisburg, Pa., native, and the youngest soldier, Pvt. Alexander Herr, second from right, a tank platoon driver with D Company and a Beaver Falls, Pa., native, to celebrate the battalion’s organizational day May 3, 2011 at Camp Taji, Iraq. Ellison and Herr are the newest bearers of the ‘last round,’ which symbolizes how a young non-commissioned officer vowed to carry the unit’s colors until his last round was spent during the Civil War, and are responsible for safeguarding and keeping it inspection-ready at all times until it is passed on to two different soldiers next year. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. William K. Ermatinger)

• Date Taken: 05.03.2011
• Date Posted: 05.16.2011 07:28
• Photo ID: 402223
• VIRIN: 110503-A-8295E-813
• Resolution: 1500x998
• Size: 932.19 KB
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ