Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Andrea Hester | Lt. Gen. Jeffery Tally, chief of Army Reserve, speaks with soldiers who will represent...... read more read more
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FORT MEADE, Md. — On the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 18, the silence of the brisk winter air was interrupted by the metrical sounds of boots echoing off the pavement and in-between the rows of buildings and homes on Fort Meade, Md. Marching in perfect time were soldiers representing the U.S. Army Reserve, rehearsing and preparing to march in the 57th Presidential Inauguration Parade.
Pealing in, every so often, was the voice of Sgt. 1st Class Rodger Stewart. Left, left, left right. A simple sound of harmony and an all too familiar cadence that spoke to each and every soldier. For this occasion is expected to be a “once in a lifetime” for most.
Stewart, who has been a drill sergeant since 2003 with the 98th Training Command (IET), generally dons his brown round to “unleash the fury” on initial entry training soldiers. However, today he has the opportunity to assist in making a culminating series of events for approximately 90 soldiers a day they will never forget.
“I am here serving as a platoon sergeant assisting with parade drills, inspecting uniforms and looking out for any other obvious deficiencies,” said Stewart. When asked how he felt about supporting the inauguration behind the scenes he expressed “I am definitely honored and can tell my kids I took part.”
Several months of hard work and dedication led up to the inauguration’s grand-scale events. Sgt. Cornelius Ivory of the 200th Military Police Command said they have been preparing for the parade since early fall. The 200th Military Police Command served as the lead agency for the platoon’s parade mission. “This is truly an overwhelmingly great feeling,” said Ivory. “I am truly honored to be a part of the preparation of this event.”
An element comprised of 90 soldiers from 11 subordinate commands from the U.S. Army Reserve participated in the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Together, as many as 5,500 service members from each military component traveled from their home states to the District of Columbia to provide ceremonial support for the Inauguration. Thousands participated in the celebration, both behind the scenes, and in view of the public staffing cordons, marching in the parade, and serving as military escorts and ushers.
For the 90 soldier platoon, the day began around 2 a.m. The weather was a frigid 30 degrees with anticipated snow when the participants arrived and gathered ready to commence the day’s events. Sgt. 1st Class Richard Hust, a Readiness/Mobilization NCO with the 108th Training Command (IET), said the day quickly gained momentum at the onset of the events. “The anticipation keeps you motivated and puts a lot of wind in your sails,” said Hust.
Capt. Mariah Doolittle of the 104th Training Division (LT) expressed that she is very proud to participate in the inauguration of the commander in chief. “This is truly an honor to represent the Army Reserve in the parade and I am proud to be a part of this historic event,” Doolittle said. Doolittle also assisted with leading the formation as one of the selected platoon leaders during the parade.
The day prior to the inauguration, Lt. Gen. Jeffery Talley, Chief of Army Reserve, visited with the Citizen-Soldiers to thank them for their commitment to service and their contributions. “I couldn’t be prouder of all of you and everything that your families and you do every day to support our Army,” Tally went on to say, “You will become part of history and you will become an important part of how our armed forces and the United States directly supports and serves the commander in chief. It is a tremendous honor for the Army, for the Army Reserve and particularly for your units.”
The military’s participation in support of the inauguration dates back 220 years when George Washington began his inaugural journey from Mount Vernon, Va., to New York City, with local militias joining his inaugural procession as it passed through towns along the way.
During the inauguration, a mood of solidarity flowed throughout the streets through every waving flag and every cheering voice. The crowd, which stretched for blocks, applauded as marchers representing the Army Reserve converged on Pennsylvania Avenue in the heart of D.C. It was here that members of the Army Reserve, joined by thousands, took part in making history.
| Date Taken: | 01.19.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 01.29.2013 10:04 |
| Story ID: | 101173 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The 108th plays a part in making history, by SFC Andrea Hester, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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